Assemblies and methods for enhancing fluid catalytic cracking (fcc) processes during the fcc process using spectroscopic analyzers

ABSTRACT

Assemblies and methods to enhance a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process associated with a refining operation, during the FCC process, may include supplying a hydrocarbon feedstock to first processing units associated with the refining operation. The assemblies and methods also may include conditioning a hydrocarbon feedstock and unit material samples, and analyzing the samples via one or more spectroscopic analyzers. The assemblies and methods further may include prescriptively controlling, via one or more FCC process controllers, based at least in part on the hydrocarbon feedstock properties and the unit material properties, the FCC processing assembly, so that the prescriptively controlling results in causing the FCC process to produce intermediate materials, the unit materials, and/or the downstream materials having properties within selected ranges of target properties, thereby to cause the FCC process to achieve material outputs that more accurately and responsively converge on one or more of the target properties.

PRIORITY CLAIMS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 18/052,780, filed Nov. 4, 2022, titled “ASSEMBLIESAND METHODS FOR ENHANCING FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING (FCC) PROCESSESDURING THE FCC PROCESS USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No.17/652,431, filed Feb. 24, 2022, titled “METHODS AND ASSEMBLIES FORDETERMINING AND USING STANDARDIZED SPECTRAL RESPONSES FOR CALIBRATION OFSPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” which claims priority to and the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 63/153,452, filed Feb. 25, 2021, titled“METHODS AND ASSEMBLIES FOR DETERMINING AND USING STANDARDIZED SPECTRALRESPONSES FOR CALIBRATION OF SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” and U.S.Provisional Application No. 63/268,456, filed Feb. 24, 2022, titled“ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING CONTROL OF FLUID CATALYTICCRACKING (FCC) PROCESSES USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” the disclosuresof which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties; andfurther claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 63/268,456, filed Feb. 24, 2022, titled “ASSEMBLIES ANDMETHODS FOR ENHANCING CONTROL OF FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING (FCC)PROCESSES USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS”; U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 63/268,827, filed Mar. 3, 2022, titled “ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FOROPTIMIZING FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING (FCC) PROCESSES DURING THE FCCPROCESS USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS”; and U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 63/268,875, filed Mar. 4, 2022, titled “ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FORENHANCING CONTROL OF HYDROTREATING AND FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING (FCC)PROCESSES USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” the disclosures of all threeof which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to assemblies and methods to enhancefluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes and, more particularly, toassemblies and methods to enhance FCC processes, during the FCCprocesses, using one or more spectroscopic analyzers.

BACKGROUND

Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes may be used to produce desiredpetroleum-based intermediate and final products from hydrocarbon feeds.FCC processes are inherently complex because they involve a large numberof variables and processing parameters associated with the hydrocarbonfeeds and operation of FCC processing units and downstream processingunits. Optimization, design, and control of fluid catalytic cracking(FCC) processing units may benefit from analytical models that describeconversion of hydrocarbon feeds to products. Analytical models, however,may only be useful if provided with timely and accurate information. Ifthe information lacks sufficient accuracy, the analytical model mayprovide inaccurate outputs, for example, relating to hydrocarbonfeedstock monitoring and control, and/or control of FCC and relatedprocessing units, and resulting products may lack desired properties. Ifthe information is not provided to the analytical model in asufficiently responsive manner, desired changes based on the informationand model outputs may be delayed, resulting in extending the time duringwhich the FCC processes are performed below optimum efficiency.Conventional laboratory analysis of the hydrocarbon feeds and relatedmaterials or processes may suffer from insufficiently responsive resultsto provide effective monitoring and control of the FCC process andrelated materials. For example, off-line laboratory analysis and relatedmodeling studies may involve response times of hours, days, or evenweeks, during which processing parameters are not optimized. As aresult, the value of such monitoring and control may be reduced whenused to monitor and control FCC processes in during operation.

Although some FCC processes may include devices and processes formonitoring and controlling the FCC process, Applicant has recognizedthat such devices and processes may suffer from delayed acquisition ofuseful information and/or inaccuracies due to the nature of the devicesor processes. As a result, Applicant has recognized that there may be adesire to provide assemblies and methods for more accurately monitoring,controlling, and/or optimizing FCC processes and/or for moreresponsively determining properties and/or characteristics ofhydrocarbon feeds, processing unit product materials, intermediatematerials, FCC effluent, and/or upstream materials or downstreammaterials related to the FCC processes. Such assemblies and methods mayresult in enhanced control or optimization of FCC processes for moreefficiently producing FCC products and/or downstream products.

The present disclosure may address one or more of the above-referencedconsiderations, as well as other possible considerations.

SUMMARY

Monitoring and control of FCC processes may be important for producingFCC-related products having certain characteristics or properties tomeet industry and/or marketing standards. Using current systems andprocesses, it may be difficult to achieve desired standards because thesystems and methods may suffer from delayed acquisition of usefulinformation and/or inaccuracies due to the nature of the devices orprocesses. At least some embodiments of the present disclosure mayadvantageously provide assemblies and/or methods for monitoring,controlling, and/or optimizing FCC processes, such that the resultingFCC-related products have desired characteristics or properties that maybe achieved more efficiently. In some embodiments, the assemblies and/ormethods disclosed herein may result in acquisition of useful informationand/or provide more accurate information for monitoring, controlling,and/or optimizing FCC processes while the FCC processes are occurring.This, in turn, may result in producing FCC-related products havingdesired characteristics or properties in a more efficient manner. Forexample, in at least some embodiments, at least some of the acquiredinformation may be used to monitor and prescriptively control FCCprocesses, during the FCC processes, resulting in producing FCC-relatedproducts having desired characteristics or properties in a moreeconomically efficient manner. For example, prescriptively controllingthe FCC process assembly and/or the FCC process, during the FCCprocesses, according to some embodiments, may result in causing the FCCprocess to produce intermediate materials, the unit materials, and/orthe downstream materials having properties within selected ranges oftarget properties, thereby to cause the FCC process to achieve materialoutputs that more accurately and responsively converge on one or more ofthe target properties.

According to some embodiments, a method to enhance a fluid catalyticcracking (FCC) process associated with a refining operation, during theFCC process, may include supplying a hydrocarbon feedstock to one ormore first processing units associated with the refining operation. Thehydrocarbon feedstock may have one or more hydrocarbon feedstockparameters, and the one or more first processing units may include anFCC processing unit. The method also may include operating the one ormore first processing units to produce one or more corresponding unitmaterials. The one or more corresponding unit materials may include oneor more of intermediate materials or unit product materials includingFCC effluent. The method further may include conditioning a hydrocarbonfeedstock sample to one or more of filter the hydrocarbon feedstocksample, change a temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, dilutethe hydrocarbon feedstock sample in solvent, or degas the hydrocarbonfeedstock sample. The method also may include analyzing the hydrocarbonfeedstock sample via a first spectroscopic analyzer to providehydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra. The method further may includeconditioning a unit material sample to one or more of filter the unitmaterial sample, change a temperature of the unit material sample,dilute the unit material sample in solvent, or degas the unit materialsample. The method also may include analyzing the unit material samplevia one or more of the first spectroscopic analyzer or a secondspectroscopic analyzer to provide unit material sample spectra. The oneor more of the first spectroscopic analyzer or the second spectroscopicanalyzer may be calibrated to generate standardized spectral responses.The method still further may include predicting one or more hydrocarbonfeedstock sample properties associated with the hydrocarbon feedstocksample based at least in part on the hydrocarbon feedstock samplespectra, and predicting one or more unit material sample propertiesassociated with the unit material sample based at least in part on theunit material sample spectra. The method also may include prescriptivelycontrolling, during the FCC process, via one or more FCC processcontrollers based at least in part on the one or more hydrocarbonfeedstock parameters, the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sampleproperties, and the one or more unit material sample properties, one ormore of: (i) the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters associatedwith the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or more firstprocessing units; (ii) one or more intermediates properties associatedwith the intermediate materials produced by one or more of the firstprocessing units; (iii) operation of the one or more first processingunits; (iv) one or more unit materials properties associated with theone or more unit materials; or (v) operation of one or more secondprocessing units positioned downstream relative to the one or more firstprocessing units, so that the prescriptively controlling during the FCCprocess causes the FCC process to produce one or more of: (a) one ormore intermediate materials each having one or more properties within aselected range of one or more target properties of the one or moreintermediate materials; (b) one or more unit materials each having oneor more properties within a selected range of one or more targetproperties of the one or more unit materials; or (c) one or moredownstream materials each having one or more properties within aselected range of one or more target properties of the one or moredownstream materials, thereby to cause the FCC process to achievematerial outputs that more accurately and responsively converge on oneor more of the target properties.

According to some embodiments, a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) controlassembly to enhance a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process associatedwith a refining operation, during the FCC process, may include a firstspectroscopic analyzer positioned to receive a hydrocarbon feedstocksample of a hydrocarbon feedstock positioned to be supplied to one ormore first processing units associated with the refining operation. Thehydrocarbon feedstock may have one or more hydrocarbon feedstockparameters, and the one or more first processing units may include anFCC processing unit. The first spectroscopic analyzer also may bepositioned to analyze the hydrocarbon feedstock sample to providehydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra. The FCC control assembly furthermay include a second spectroscopic analyzer positioned to receive a unitmaterial sample of one more unit materials produced by the one or morefirst processing units. The one or more unit materials may include oneor more of intermediate materials or unit product materials comprisingFCC effluent. The first spectroscopic analyzer and the secondspectroscopic analyzer may be calibrated to generate standardizedspectral responses. The second spectroscopic analyzer may be positionedto analyze the unit material sample to provide unit material samplespectra. The FCC control assembly further may include a sampleconditioning assembly positioned to one or more of (i) condition thehydrocarbon feedstock sample, prior to being supplied to the firstspectroscopic analyzer, to one or more of filter the hydrocarbonfeedstock sample, change a temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstocksample, dilute the hydrocarbon feedstock sample in solvent, or degas thehydrocarbon feedstock sample; or (ii) condition the unit materialsample, prior to being supplied to the second spectroscopic analyzer, toone or more of filter the unit material sample, change a temperature ofthe unit material sample, dilute the unit material sample in solvent, ordegas the unit material sample. The FCC control assembly also mayinclude an FCC process controller in communication with the firstspectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer. The FCCprocess controller may be configured to predict one or more hydrocarbonfeedstock sample properties associated with the hydrocarbon feedstocksample based at least in part on the hydrocarbon feedstock samplespectra and predict one or more unit material sample propertiesassociated with the unit material sample based at least in part on theunit material sample spectra. The FCC process controller further may beconfigured to prescriptively control, during the FCC process, based atleast in part on the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters, theone or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties, and the one or moreunit material sample properties, one or more of: (i) the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock parameters associated with the hydrocarbonfeedstock supplied to the one or more first processing units; (ii) oneor more intermediates properties associated with the intermediatematerials produced by one or more of the first processing units; (iii)operation of the one or more first processing units; (iv) one or moreunit materials properties associated with the one or more unitmaterials; or (v) operation of one or more second processing unitspositioned downstream relative to the one or more first processingunits, so that the prescriptively controlling during the FCC processcauses the FCC process to produce one or more of: (a) one or moreintermediate materials each having one or more properties within aselected range of one or more target properties of the one or moreintermediate materials; (b) one or more unit materials each having oneor more properties within a selected range of one or more targetproperties of the one or more unit materials; or (c) one or moredownstream materials each having one or more properties within aselected range of one or more target properties of the one or moredownstream materials, thereby to cause the FCC process to achievematerial outputs that more accurately and responsively converge on oneor more of the target properties.

According to some embodiments, a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processcontroller to enhance an FCC process associated with a refiningoperation, the FCC process controller being in communication with one ormore spectroscopic analyzers and one or more first processing units, maybe configured to predict one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sampleproperties associated with a hydrocarbon feedstock sample based at leastin part on hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra generated by the one ormore spectroscopic analyzers. The FCC process controller further may beconfigured to predict one or more unit material sample propertiesassociated with a unit material sample based at least in part on unitmaterial sample spectra generated by the one or more spectroscopicanalyzers. The FCC process controller also may be configured toprescriptively control, during the FCC process, based at least in parton one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters, the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock sample properties, and the one or more unitmaterial sample properties, one or more of: (i) the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock parameters associated with hydrocarbon feedstocksupplied to the one or more first processing units; (ii) one or moreintermediates properties associated with intermediate materials producedby one or more of the first processing units; (iii) operation of the oneor more first processing units; (iv) one or more unit materialsproperties associated with the one or more unit materials; or (v)operation of one or more second processing units positioned downstreamrelative to the one or more first processing units, so that theprescriptively controlling during the FCC process causes the FCC processto produce one or more of: (a) one or more intermediate materials eachhaving one or more properties within a selected range of one or moretarget properties of the one or more intermediate materials; (b) one ormore unit materials each having one or more properties within a selectedrange of one or more target properties of the one or more unitmaterials; or (c) one or more downstream materials each having one ormore properties within a selected range of one or more target propertiesof the one or more downstream materials, thereby to cause the FCCprocess to achieve material outputs that more accurately andresponsively converge on one or more of the target properties.

According to some embodiments, a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC)processing assembly for performing an FCC process associated with arefining operation may include one or more first FCC processing unitsassociated with the refining operation including one or more of an FCCreactor or an FCC regenerator. The FCC processing assembly also mayinclude a first spectroscopic analyzer positioned to receive, during theFCC process, a hydrocarbon feedstock sample of a hydrocarbon feedstock.The hydrocarbon feedstock may have one or more hydrocarbon feedstockparameters and may be supplied to the one or more first FCC processingunits. The first spectroscopic analyzer further may be positioned toanalyze during the FCC process the hydrocarbon feedstock sample toprovide hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra. The FCC processingassembly also may include a second spectroscopic analyzer positioned toreceive during the FCC process a unit material sample of one more unitmaterials produced by the one or more first FCC processing units. Theone or more unit materials may include one or more of intermediatematerials or unit product materials including FCC effluent. The firstspectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer may becalibrated to generate standardized spectral responses. The secondspectroscopic analyzer also may be positioned to analyze during the FCCprocess the unit material sample to provide unit material samplespectra. The FCC processing assembly further may include a sampleconditioning assembly positioned to one or more of (i) condition thehydrocarbon feedstock sample, prior to being supplied to the firstspectroscopic analyzer, to one or more of filter the hydrocarbonfeedstock sample, change a temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstocksample, dilute the hydrocarbon feedstock sample in solvent, or degas thehydrocarbon feedstock sample; or (ii) condition the unit materialsample, prior to being supplied to the second spectroscopic analyzer, toone or more of filter the unit material sample, change a temperature ofthe unit material sample, dilute the unit material sample in solvent, ordegas the unit material sample. The FCC processing assembly also mayinclude an FCC process controller in communication with the firstspectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer during theFCC process. The FCC process controller may be configured to predictduring the FCC process one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sampleproperties associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock sample based atleast in part on the hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra. The FCCprocess controller also may be configured to predict during the FCCprocess one or more unit material sample properties associated with theunit material sample based at least in part on the unit material samplespectra. The FCC process controller further may be configured toprescriptively control, during the FCC process, based at least in parton the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters, the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock sample properties, and the one or more unitmaterial sample properties, one or more of: (i) the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock parameters associated with the hydrocarbonfeedstock supplied to the one or more first FCC processing units; (ii)one or more intermediates properties associated with the intermediatematerials produced by one or more of the first FCC processing units;(iii) operation of the one or more first FCC processing units; (iv) oneor more unit materials properties associated with the one or more unitmaterials; or (v) operation of one or more second processing unitspositioned downstream relative to the one or more first FCC processingunits, so that the prescriptively controlling during the FCC processcauses the FCC process to produce one or more of: (a) one or moreintermediate materials each having one or more properties within aselected range of one or more target properties of the one or moreintermediate materials; (b) one or more unit materials each having oneor more properties within a selected range of one or more targetproperties of the one or more unit materials; or (c) one or moredownstream materials each having one or more properties within aselected range of one or more target properties of the one or moredownstream materials, thereby to cause the FCC process to achievematerial outputs that more accurately and responsively converge on oneor more of the target properties.

Still other aspects, examples, and advantages of these exemplary aspectsand embodiments are discussed in more detail below. It is to beunderstood that both the foregoing information and the followingdetailed description are merely illustrative examples of various aspectsand embodiments, and are intended to provide an overview or frameworkfor understanding the nature and character of the claimed aspects andembodiments. Accordingly, these and other objects, along with advantagesand features of the present disclosure herein disclosed, may becomeapparent through reference to the following description and theaccompanying drawings. Furthermore, it is to be understood that thefeatures of the various embodiments described herein are not mutuallyexclusive and may exist in various combinations and permutations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure, areincorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrateembodiments of the present disclosure, and together with the detaileddescription, serve to explain principles of the embodiments discussedherein. No attempt is made to show structural details of this disclosurein more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding ofthe exemplary embodiments discussed herein and the various ways in whichthey may be practiced. According to common practice, the variousfeatures of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn toscale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings maybe expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example FCCprocessing assembly including an example FCC reactor, an examplecatalyst regenerator, and an example FCC control assembly, according toembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example FCCprocessing assembly including an example FCC control assembly and anexample sample conditioning assembly, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example sampleconditioning assembly, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 4A is a block diagram of a spectroscopic analyzer assemblyincluding a first standardized spectroscopic analyzer and a firstanalyzer controller configured to standardize a plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers and showing example inputs and example outputsin relation to an example timeline, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 4B is a continuation of the block diagram shown in FIG. 4A showingthe plurality of example standardized spectroscopic analyzers outputtingrespective analyzer portfolio sample-based corrections based at least inpart on respective variances, and analyzing conditioned materials foroutputting respective corrected material spectra, according toembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 4C is a continuation of the block diagrams shown in FIGS. 4A and 4Bshowing respective corrected material spectra output by the plurality ofstandardized spectroscopic analyzers used to output predicted (ordetermined) material data for the materials for use in an example FCCprocess, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5A is a block diagram of an example method to enhance a fluidcatalytic cracking (FCC) process associated with a refining operation,during the FCC process, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5B is a continuation of the block diagram shown in FIG. 5A,according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5C is a continuation of the block diagram shown in FIG. 5A and FIG.5B, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5D is a continuation of the block diagram shown in FIG. 5A, FIG.5B, and FIG. 5C, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5E is a continuation of the block diagram shown in FIG. 5A, FIG.5B, FIG. 5C, and

FIG. 5D, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 6A is a table illustrating spectroscopic analysis data associatedwith an example FCC process including samples of hydrotreater chargesand products, and FCC feeds used to control relative amounts of eachhydrocarbon class shown in weight percent, according to embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 6B is a table illustrating minimum and maximum amounts for acalibration set shown in weight percent for example hydrocarbon classesrelated to the data shown in FIG. 6A, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates example near-infrared (NIR) absorption spectra forexample FCC feed samples, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates example NIR absorption second derivative spectraderived from the example NIR absorption spectra shown in FIG. 7 ,according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 9A is a table showing NIR regression statistics for each of aplurality of example properties, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 9B is a table showing NIR regression statistics for each of aplurality of example properties, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 10 is a correlation plot showing predicted sulfur content of anexample hydrocarbon feed based on analysis by an on-line NIRspectroscopic analyzer versus results obtained from a laboratoryanalysis, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a correlation plot showing predicted API gravity of anexample hydrocarbon feed based on analysis by an on-line NIRspectroscopic analyzer versus results obtained from a laboratoryanalysis, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a correlation plot showing predicted percent coker gas oil ofan example hydrocarbon feed based on analysis by an on-line NIRspectroscopic analyzer versus results obtained from a laboratoryanalysis, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 13A is a graph showing example hydrocarbon feed sulfur contentdetermined off-line over time, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 13B is a graph showing example hydrocarbon feed API gravitydetermined off-line over time, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 13C is a graph showing example hydrocarbon feed Conradson carbondetermined off-line over time, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 14A is a graph showing example gasoline conversions determinedoff-line over time, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 14B is a graph showing example gasoline yields determined off-lineover time, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 14C is a graph showing example light cycle oil (LCO) yieldsdetermined off-line over time, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 14D is a graph showing example slurry yields determined off-lineover time, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of an example fluid catalytic cracking(FCC) process controller configured to at least partially control an FCCprocessing assembly, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like partsthroughout the several views, the following description is provided asan enabling teaching of exemplary embodiments, and those skilled in therelevant art will recognize that many changes may be made to theembodiments described. It also will be apparent that some of the desiredbenefits of the embodiments described may be obtained by selecting someof the features of the embodiments without utilizing other features.Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize that manymodifications and adaptations to the embodiments described are possibleand may even be desirable in certain circumstances. Thus, the followingdescription is provided as illustrative of principles of the embodimentsand not in limitation thereof.

The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. Any examples ofoperating parameters and/or environmental conditions are not exclusiveof other parameters/conditions of the disclosed embodiments.Additionally, it should be understood that references to “oneembodiment,” “an embodiment,” “certain embodiments,” or “otherembodiments” of the present disclosure are not intended to beinterpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments thatalso incorporate the recited features. When introducing elements ofvarious embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,”“the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of theelements. As used herein, the term “plurality” refers to two or moreitems or components. A multi-component sample may refer to a single(one) sample including a plurality of components, such as two or morecomponents. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,”“containing,” and “involving,” whether in the written description or theclaims and the like, are open-ended terms, in particular, to mean“including but not limited to,” unless otherwise stated. Thus, the useof such terms is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter, andequivalents thereof, as well as additional items. The transitionalphrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of,” are closed orsemi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, with respect to anyclaims. Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” and thelike in the claims to modify a claim element does not necessarily, byitself, connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim elementover another or the temporal order in which acts of a method areperformed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claimelement having a certain name from another element having a same name(but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish claim elements.

Certain terminology used herein may have definitions provided for thepurpose of illustration and not limitation. For example, as used herein,the “sampling circuit” may refer to an assembly for facilitatingseparation of a sample of a material, a sample of a composition ofmaterial, and/or a sample of an FCC product, for example, for processingand/or analysis of the sample.

As used herein, the term “sample conditioner” may refer to an assemblyfor facilitating preparation of a sample for analysis, for example, toimprove the accuracy of analysis of the sample and/or to provideconsistency and/or repeatability of the analysis of the sample or morethan one sample.

As used herein, the term “spectroscopic analyzer” may refer an analyzerthat may be used to measure or predict one or more properties of asample of, for example, a material, a composition of materials, and/oran FCC product. In some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzers may beused online or in a laboratory setting. “Spectroscopic analyzer” mayrefer in some instances to a spectroscopic analyzer assembly, which mayinclude a spectroscopic analyzer and an analyzer controller incommunication with one or more spectroscopic analyzers. The analyzercontroller may be configured for use with a corresponding spectroscopicanalyzer for pre-processing and/or post-processing steps or proceduresrelated to a spectroscopic analysis, as will be understood by thoseskilled in the art. In some embodiments, the analyzer controller may bephysically connected to the spectroscopic analyzer. In some suchembodiments, the spectroscopic analyzer may include a housing, and atleast a portion of the analyzer controller may be contained in thehousing. In some embodiments, the analyzer controller may be incommunication with the spectroscopic analyzer via a hard-wiredcommunications link and/or wireless communications link. In someembodiments, the analyzer controller may be physically separated fromthe spectroscopic analyzer and may be in communication with thespectroscopic analyzer via a hard-wired communications link and/or awireless communications link. In some embodiments, physical separationmay include being spaced from one another, but within the same building,within the same facility (e.g., located at a common manufacturingfacility, such as a refinery), or being spaced from one anothergeographically (e.g., anywhere in the world). In some physicallyseparated embodiments, both the spectroscopic analyzer and the analyzercontroller may be linked to a common communications network, such as ahard-wired communications network and/or a wireless communicationsnetwork. Such communications links may operate according to any knownhard-wired communications protocols and/or wireless communicationsprotocols, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

As used herein, the term “sample introducer” may refer to a component orassembly that may be used to facilitate the provision of a conditionedsample (portion or stream) to one or more spectroscopic analyzers foranalysis.

As used herein, the term “sample stream” may refer to a portion of asample stream supplied to one or more spectroscopic analyzers forspectroscopic analysis by the one or more spectroscopic analyzers.

As used herein, the term “predicting” may refer to measuring,estimating, determining, and/or calculating one or more properties of amaterial, a composition of materials, and/or an FCC product based on,for example, a mathematical relationship, a correlation, an analyticalmodel, and/or a statistical model.

As used herein, the term “sample probe” may refer to a component or aninterface used to facilitate collection of a sample for analysis by, forexample, one or more spectroscopic analyzers.

As used herein, the term “analyzer probe” may refer to a component ofone or more spectroscopic analyzers that facilitates direction ofelectromagnetic radiation (e.g., light energy) from a source through asample stream (e.g., a conditioned sample stream) to detect and/ormeasure one or more of absorbance, transmittance, transflectance,reflectance, or scattering intensity associated with the sample stream.

As used herein, the term “sample cell” may refer to a receptacle or cellfor receipt of samples for analysis or measurement, for example, by aspectroscopic analyzer.

As used herein, the term “on-line” may refer to equipment and/orprocesses that are physically located at or adjacent to processingassemblies during operation and, for at least some embodiments, may becapable of providing real-time and/or near real-time analysis and/ordata capable of real-time and/or near real-time analysis. For example,in some embodiments, an on-line spectroscopic analyzer may receive oneor more sample streams directly from a processing assembly or processand analyze the one or more sample streams in real-time or nearreal-time to provide results that may, in some embodiments, be used toat least partially control operation of one or more processingassemblies and/or one or more processes in real-time or near real-time.In some embodiments, the on-line spectroscopic analyzer or analyzers maybe physically located in a laboratory setting. This may be eitherextractive (e.g., a sample stream is drawn off of a processing unit andsupplied to a spectroscopic analyzer and/or to one or more sensors) orin situ (e.g., a probe of a spectroscopic analyzer or one or moresensors is present in a conduit associated with the processingassembly).

As used herein, the term “at-line” may refer to equipment and/orprocesses that are physically located at or adjacent to processingassemblies during operation, but which, for at least some embodiments,are not capable of providing real-time and/or near real-time analysisand/or are not capable providing data capable of real-time and/or nearreal-time analysis. For example, in an “at-line” process, a “fieldanalyzer” located physically at or adjacent a processing assembly may beused to analyze a sample withdrawn from the processing assembly orprocess and manually taken to the field analyzer for analysis. In someembodiments, the at-line spectroscopic analyzer or analyzers may bephysically located in a laboratory setting. For example, in someembodiments, an at-line spectroscopic analyzer would not receive asample stream directly from processing assemblies, but instead, wouldmanually receive a sample manually withdrawn from a processing unit byan operator and manually taken or delivered by the operator to theat-line spectroscopic analyzer.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example fluidcatalytic cracking (FCC) processing assembly 10 including an example FCCreactor 12, an example catalyst regenerator 14, and an example FCCcontrol assembly 16, according to embodiments of the disclosure. In someembodiments, the example FCC processing assembly 10 may be used inassociation with a refinery. For example, catalytic cracking may be usedto convert hydrocarbon feedstock or feed/charge 18, for example, heavyfeeds including hydrocarbons having boiling points ranging from about600 degrees Fahrenheit (F) to about 1,050 degrees, such as, for example,atmospheric gas oil, vacuum gas oil, coker gas oil, lube extracts,and/or slop streams, into lighter products, such as, for example, lightgases, olefins, gasoline, distillate, and/or coke, by catalyticallycracking large molecules into smaller molecules. In some embodiments,catalytic cracking may be performed at relatively low pressures (e.g.,pressures ranging from about 15 pounds per square inch (psig) to about30 psig), for example, in the absence of externally supplied hydrogen(H₂), or in some embodiments (e.g., including hydrocracking), in whichhydrogen is added during one or more cracking steps.

In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 may include FCCfeedstocks including a fraction of crude oil having boiling pointsranging from about 650 degrees F. to about 1,000 degrees F., which, insome embodiments, may be relatively free of coke precursors and/or heavymetal contamination, such as, for example, feedstock sometimes referredto as “vacuum gas oil” (VGO), which, in some instances, may be generallyobtained from crude oil by distilling off the fractions of the feedstockhaving boiling points below 650 degrees F. at atmospheric pressure andthereafter separating by further vacuum distillation from the heavierfractions a cut having boiling points ranging from about 650 degrees F.to about 900 degrees to 1,025 degrees F., for example, as will beunderstood by those skilled in the art. Fractions of the feedstockhaving boiling points ranging from above about 900 degrees F. to about1,025 degrees F. may be used for other purposes, such as, for example,asphalt, residual fuel oil, #6 fuel oil, and/or marine Bunker C fueloil. In some embodiments, some of the cuts having higher boiling pointsmay be used, for example, as feedstock in association with FCC processesthat use carbo-metallic oils formed by reduced crude conversion (RCC),for example, using a progressive flow-type reactor having an elongatedreaction chamber. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18may be selected to increase or optimize production of propylene by anFCC processing assembly, such as, for example, the hydrocarbonfeedstock/charge 18 may be selected to contain feedstocks having aparticular aromatics content, a particular hydrogen content, and/orother particular feedstock characteristics known to those skilled in theart to increase, enhance, or optimize propylene production by an FCCprocessing assembly.

In some embodiments, one or more analytical models (e.g., one or morekinetic models) may be used to predict (or determine) process yields asa function of, for example, feedstock quality (e.g., feedstock contentand/or properties), catalyst conditions, and/or processing conditions orparameters. In some embodiments, an optimizer algorithm may beincorporated into or used with the one or more analytical models todetermine an improved or optimum combination of, for example, feedstockrate, processing conditions or parameters, and/or catalyst propertiesfor performing the FCC process. The use of one or more spectroscopicanalyzers, for example, as described herein to provide accurateinformation related to hydrocarbon feedstock properties and/orparameters, accurate unit material property information (e.g.,intermediates and/or product yields), and/or other related analyticaldata may facilitate determining the improved or optimum combination(s)of, for example, feedstock rate, processing conditions or parameters,and/or catalyst properties for performing the FCC process. Moreover, insome embodiments, the one or more spectroscopic analyzers, alone or incombination with other sources of operational information, mayfacilitate improvement or optimization during the FCC process (e.g., inreal-time), which may reduce or eliminate inefficient operation of theFCC process that may result from delaying changes to properties and/orparameters associated with the materials and processing units due todelays with receiving test results from, for example, off-linelaboratory testing.

In some embodiments of the assemblies and processes described herein,one or more spectroscopic analyzers may be used on-line to facilitatecontrol, improvement, and/or optimization of the FCC process during theFCC process. In some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzer(s) may beused to relatively precisely predict or determine process propertiesand/or parameters associated with materials involved with the FCCprocess, including the hydrocarbon feedstock, intermediate materialsproduced by the one or more FCC processing units, and/or productsproduced by the FCC processing units and/or downstream processing units.Such properties and parameters may include, for example, feed quality,feed rate, FCC operating conditions, and/or FCC product properties.Other properties and parameters are contemplated, such as thosedescribed herein, as well as others.

In some embodiments, measurement, for example, during the FCC process,of properties and processing parameters (e.g., processing conditions)may be used to manipulate or control the FCC process. In someembodiments, advanced process control-related (APC-related) techniquesmay be used to improve, optimize, and/or maximize the FCC processagainst processing constraints, such as, for example, processing unitcapabilities. Control during the FCC process, for example, leveragingAPC-related techniques, may facilitate control of the FCC process tobalance intermediates and/or products yield(s), recovery, capacity,and/or efficiency, for example, selected from multiple process variablesand equipment capabilities, which may include material properties and/orparameters associated with the feedstock, catalyst, intermediates,and/or products, as well as operational parameters associated with theone or more FCC processing units.

For example, in some embodiments, a spectroscopic analyzer may be usedto collect spectra of samples of the hydrocarbon feedstock for the FCCprocess. The collected spectral data may be indicative of one or moreproperties and/or parameters associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock,and may be correlated to traditional laboratory tests (e.g., performedvia one or more primary test methods), including, for example, HPLCHeavy Distillate Analyzer (HDA) results for aromatic core type (e.g.,1-ring core, 2-ring core, 3-ring core, 4-ring core, and/or polars), ASTMD2887 high temperature simulated distillation, basic nitrogen, totalnitrogen, API gravity, total sulfur, mean cell residence time (MCRT),and percent of coker gas oil in vacuum gas oil (VGO). The spectroscopicanalyzer(s) may be used to monitor the hydrocarbon feedstock moreresponsively, more accurately, and/or more efficiently, as compared toperforming laboratory tests.

In some embodiments, certain wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/orfrequencies (or ranges thereof) may be useful for controlling,improving, and/or optimizing the FCC process, for example, bycontrolling operation of one or more FCC processing units. For example,in some embodiments, a process may be used for controlling on-linehydrocarbon feedstock, intermediates, and unit materials (e.g., FCCproducts) exhibiting absorption in the near infrared region. (Otherregions are contemplated.) For example, a method for controlling on-linean FCC process (e.g., during the FCC process) may include measuringabsorbances of the hydrocarbon feed using a spectroscopic analyzer atwavelengths ranging from about 780 nanometers (nm) to about 2,500 nm),and outputting one or more signals indicative of the absorbances. Themethod may further include subjecting the one or more signals tomathematical treatment or manipulation, such as, for example, taking oneor more derivatives, smoothing, and/or performing baseline correction ofthe one or more signals. The method further may include using ananalytical model to determine one or more chemical and/or physicalproperties of the hydrocarbon feed, intermediates, and/or unit materials(e.g., products) based at least in part on the treated and/ormanipulated one or more signals, and outputting a processed signal. Themethod further may include controlling on-line, based at least in parton the processed signal, at least one property and/or parameterassociated with the hydrocarbon feed, the intermediates, and/or the unitmaterials, and/or one or more processing unit parameters.

In some embodiments, the FCC process may be at least partiallycontrolled by selecting a hydrocarbon feedstock having certainproperties and/or parameters based at least in part on one or morecharacteristics associated with one or more of the FCC processing units,for example, as well as controlling one or more processing parametersassociated with the one or more FCC processing units.

In some embodiments, one or more FCC processing parameters and/orconditions may be varied to effect products resulting for the FCCprocess. For example, operating under relatively more severe crackingconditions, for example, by increasing the processing temperatures, mayresult in providing a gasoline product having a relatively higher octanerating, while increasing conversion may result in providing relativelymore olefins for alkylate production, as well as relatively moregasoline and potential alkylate. Catalytic cracking may also be affectedby inhibitors, which may be naturally present in the hydrocarbon feedand/or or may be added. Generally, as the boiling range of thehydrocarbon feed increases, the concentration of inhibitors naturallytherein may also increase. The effects of inhibitors may be temporary orlasting, depending on, for example, the type of inhibitor present.Nitrogen inhibitors may generally provide temporary effects, while heavymetals, such as nickel, vanadium, iron, copper, etc., which mayquantitatively transfer from the hydrocarbon feed to the catalyst mayprovide a more lasting effect. Metals poisoning may result in relativelyhigher dry gas yields, relatively higher hydrogen factors, relativelyhigher coke yields as a percent of conversion, and/or relatively lowergasoline yields. Coke precursors such as asphaltenes may tend to breakdown into coke during cracking, which may be deposited on the catalyst,reducing its activity.

In some embodiments, an inventory of particulate catalyst may begenerally continuously cycled between the FCC reactor and the catalystregenerator. In some FCC processes, hydrocarbon feedstock may contactcatalyst in the FCC reactor, for example, at a temperature ranging fromabout 425 degrees C. to about 600 degrees C., (e.g., from about 460degrees C. to about 560 degrees C.). As the hydrocarbons crack,carbonaceous hydrocarbons and/or coke may be deposited on the catalyst.The cracked products may be separated from the coked catalyst. The cokedcatalyst may be stripped of volatiles, for example, with steam, andthereafter may be regenerated. For example, in the catalyst regenerator,the coke may be burned from the catalyst using oxygen-containing gas,such as air. The coke burns off, restoring catalyst activity and heatingthe catalyst to, for example, as temperature ranging from about 500degrees C. to about 900 degrees C. (e.g., from about 600 degrees C. toabout 750 degrees C.). As described herein, flue gas formed by burningcoke in the catalyst regenerator may thereafter be discharged into theatmosphere.

In some embodiments, the one or more FCC processing units may usezeolite-containing catalyst having relatively high activity and/orselectivity. Such catalysts may be relatively more effective when theamount of coke on the catalyst after regeneration is relatively low,such as, for example, less than about 0.1 wt % (e.g., less than about0.05 wt %). To regenerate catalysts to such relatively low residualcarbon levels, and to burn carbon monoxide (CO) relatively completely toform carbon dioxide (CO₂) within the catalyst regenerator (e.g., toconserve heat and/or minimize air pollution), high-efficiencyregenerators and/or CO combustion promoters may be used. In someembodiments, FCC processing units may be operated in a complete COcombustion mode, for example, such that the mole ratio of CO₂-to-CO isat least 10. In some embodiments, the CO may be burned within thecatalyst regenerator to conserve heat and/or minimize undesirableemissions. In some embodiments, CO may be burned in the catalystregenerator by adding platinum catalyst.

In some embodiments, a desired product slate may be determined based atleast in part on spectroscopic analysis of one or more of the unitmaterials (e.g., the FCC products), which may be used for monitoringand/or controlling one or more aspects of the FCC process, such as oneor more processing parameters for operation of one or more of the FCCprocessing units.

In some embodiments, one or more spectroscopic analyzers may be used todetermine one or more properties and/or one or more parametersassociated with the hydrocarbon feedstock. The one or more propertiesand/or parameters may be used to monitor and/or control operation of oneor more of the FCC processing units. The hydrocarbon feed propertiesand/or parameters may variables used for controlling the FCC process andmay include, for example, but are not limited to, weight percent (wt. %)or volume percent (vol. %) of mono-aromatics, di-aromatics,tri-aromatics, benzothiophenes, di-benzothiophenes, paraffins,naphthenes, aromatics, and/or nitrogen content. Unit material propertiesand/or unit material parameters (e.g., intermediates and/or products ofthe FCC process and/or downstream processes) may include, for example,but are not limited to, amount of butane (C₄) free gasoline (volume),amount of total C₄ (volume), amount of dry gas (wt), amount of coke(wt), an amount of propylene (e.g., propylene yield), gasoline octane,amount of light fuel oil (LFO), amount of heavy fuel oil (HFO), amountof hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), amount of sulfur in the LFO, and/or theaniline point of the LFO.

As schematically shown in FIG. 1 , the example fluid catalytic cracking(FCC) assembly 10 includes the example FCC reactor 12 and the examplecatalyst regenerator 14, and the example FCC control assembly 16 may beused to at least partially (e.g., semi-autonomously, autonomously,and/or fully) control an FCC process performed by the FCC processingassembly 10. As shown in FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the FCC controlassembly 16 may include one or more spectroscopic analyzers 20 (e.g.,20A through 20N as shown), which may be used to receive (e.g., on-line),analyze, and generate one or more spectra indicative of propertiesand/or parameters of samples of the feed/charge 18 (e.g., thehydrocarbon feedstock) and/or indicative of properties of samples of oneor more unit materials produced by one or more FCC processing units 22.In some embodiments, one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20 maybe configured to receive more than a single stream of material foranalysis. In some such embodiments, a multiplexer may be associated withthe one or more spectroscopic analyzers 20 to facilitate analysis of twoor streams of material by a single spectroscopic analyzer. In someembodiments, one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20A though 20Nmay be used and/or located online and/or in a laboratory setting. Insome embodiments, the one or more unit materials may include one or moreof intermediate materials or unit product materials, for example,including FCC effluent and/or other associated materials taken from anypoint or any stage of the FCC process. In some embodiments, two or moreof the spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may be calibrated togenerate standardized spectral responses, for example, as describedherein. For example, a first spectroscopic analyzer 20A and additionalspectroscopic analyzers 20B through 20N may be calibrated to generatestandardized spectral responses, for example, such that each of thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 20A and the additional spectroscopicanalyzers 20B through 20N output a respective corrected materialspectrum, including a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality ofmaterial properties of an analyzed material based at least in part onthe corrected material spectrum, such that the plurality of materialproperties or parameters of the analyzed material outputted by the firstspectroscopic analyzer 20A are substantially consistent with a pluralityof material properties of the analyzed material outputted by theadditional spectroscopic analyzers 20B through 20N. In some embodiments,one of more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may belocated in a laboratory setting, for example, as schematically depictedin FIG. 1 with respect to the first spectroscopic analyzer 20A.

In some embodiments, the one or more hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 sampleproperties and/or the one or more unit material sample properties mayinclude a content ratio indicative of relative amounts of one or morehydrocarbon classes present in one or more of the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18 sample and/or the unit material samples. Otherhydrocarbon feed/charge 18 sample properties and/or unit material sampleproperties are contemplated. Although many embodiments described hereinuse more than one spectroscopic analyzer, it is contemplated that asingle spectroscopic analyzer may be used for at least some embodimentsof the FCC processes described herein. One or more of the spectroscopicanalyzers 20A through 20N may include one or more near-infrared (NIR)spectroscopic analyzers, one or more mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectroscopicanalyzers, one or more combined MR and mid-IR spectroscopic analyzers,and/or one or more Raman spectroscopic analyzers. In some embodiments,one or more of the spectroscopic analyzer(s) 20A through 20N may includea Fourier Transform near infrared (FTNIR) spectroscopic analyzer, aFourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analyzer, or an infrared(IR) type spectroscopic analyzer. In some embodiments, one or more ofthe spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may be ruggedized for use inan on-line analyzing process and/or in a laboratory setting, and in someembodiments, one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20Nmay be at least partially housed in a temperature-controlled and/orexplosion-resistant cabinet. For example, some embodiments of the one ormore spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may be configured towithstand operating conditions, such as, for example, temperature,pressure, chemical compatibility, vibrations, etc., that may be presentin an on-line environment and/or in a laboratory setting. For example,the one or more spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may be designedto be operated in a particular environment of use and/or an environmentthat meets area classifications, such as, for example, a Class 1,Division 2 location. In some embodiments, a photometer with presentoptical filters moving successively into position, may be used as a typeof spectroscopic analyzer.

As shown in FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the FCC processing assembly 10also may include one or more FCC process controllers 24 in communicationwith one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N and thatcontrol one or more aspects of the FCC process. For example, in someembodiments, the FCC process controller(s) 24 may be configured topredict (or determine) one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sampleproperties and/or parameters associated with samples of the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18, for example, based at least in part on hydrocarbonfeedstock sample spectra generated by the one or more spectroscopicanalyzers 20A through 20N (e.g., first spectroscopic analyzer 20A, asshown in FIG. 1 ). In some embodiments, the FCC process controller(s) 24may be configured to predict (or determine) one or more unit materialsample properties and/or parameters associated with the unit materialsamples based at least in part on the unit material sample spectragenerated by the one or more spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N.For example, as described herein, each of the one or more spectroscopicanalyzer(s) 20A through 20N may output a signal communicated to the oneor more FCC process controller(s) 24, which may mathematicallymanipulate the signal (e.g., take a first or higher order derivative ofthe signal) received from the spectroscopic analyzer, and subject themanipulated signal to a defined model to generate material propertiesand/or parameters of interest, for example, as described herein. In someembodiments, such models may be derived from signals obtained fromspectroscopic analyzer measurement of the one or more unit materials(e.g., the intermediates and/or the cracking products). In someexamples, an analyzer controller in communication with a correspondingone or more of the spectroscopic analyzer(s) 20A through 20N may beconfigured to receive the signal output by the one or more correspondingspectroscopic analyzers and mathematically manipulate the signal, forexample, prior to the one or more FCC process controller(s) 24 receivingthe signal.

In some embodiments, the FCC process controller(s) 24 may be configuredto prescriptively control, during the FCC process, via one or more FCCprocess controllers 24, based at least in part on the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock parameters, the one or more hydrocarbon feedstocksample properties, and/or the one or more unit material sampleproperties, (i) the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parametersassociated with the hydrocarbon feedstock 18 supplied to the one or moreFCC processing units 22; (ii) one or more intermediates propertiesassociated with the intermediate materials produced by one or more ofthe FCC processing units 22; (iii) operation of the one or more FCCprocessing units 22; (iv) one or more unit materials propertiesassociated with the one or more unit materials; and/or (v) operation ofone or more processing units positioned downstream relative to the oneor more FCC processing units 22 such as, for example, a fractionator 26configured to separate various hydrocarbon products of FCC effluentreceived from the FCC reactor 12. In some embodiments, the prescriptivecontrol may result in causing the FCC process to produce one or more of:(a) one or more intermediate materials each having one or moreproperties within a selected range of one or more target properties ofthe one or more intermediate materials; (b) one or more unit materialseach having one or more properties within a selected range of one ormore target properties of the one or more unit materials; or (c) one ormore downstream materials each having one or more properties within aselected range of one or more target properties of the one or moredownstream materials. In some embodiments, this may result causing theFCC process to achieve material outputs that more accurately andresponsively converge on one or more of the target properties. In someembodiments, the prescriptive control may result in optimizing one ormore target properties of the one or more intermediate materials, one ormore target properties of the one or more unit materials, and/or one ormore target properties of one or more downstream materials produced bythe one or more second processing units, for example, thereby tooptimize the FCC process to achieve material outputs that moreaccurately and responsively converge on one or more of the targetproperties.

In some embodiments, the FCC processing assembly 10 further may includea sample conditioning assembly 28 configured to condition thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18, for example, prior to being supplied to theone or more spectroscopic analyzer(s) 20A through 20N. In someembodiments, the sample conditioning assembly 28 may be configured tofilter samples of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18, change (e.g., control)the temperature of the samples of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18, dilutethe samples of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 in solvent (e.g., on-lineand/or in a laboratory setting), and/or degas the samples of thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18. In some embodiments, one or more sampleconditioning procedures may be performed without using the sampleconditioning assembly 28, for example, in a laboratory setting. In someembodiments, the sample conditioning assembly 28 also may be configuredto condition samples of the unit materials, for example, prior to beingsupplied to the one or more spectroscopic analyzer(s) 20A through 20N,to filter the samples of the unit materials, to change (e.g., control)the temperature of the samples of the unit materials, dilute the samplesof the unit materials in solvent, and/or degas the samples of the unitmaterials. With respect to diluting samples, for example, in someembodiments, this may include diluting samples of the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18 and/or the unit materials, such dilution may be used foranalysis in a laboratory setting, and in some embodiments, the dilutionmay be performed in a laboratory setting. In some such embodiments, theresulting spectra of the diluted sample may be manipulated, for example,to back out account for the infrared absorption or the Raman scatteringdue to the presence of the solvent used. In some embodiments, sampleconditioning by the sample conditioning assembly 28 may result in moreaccurate, more repeatable, and/or more consistent analysis of thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18 and/or the one or more unit materials, whichmay in turn result in improved and/or more efficient control and/or moreaccurate control of the FCC process. Example embodiments of a sampleconditioning assembly 28 are described herein, for example, with respectto FIG. 3 . In some embodiments, the one or more FCC processcontroller(s) 24 may be configured to control at least some aspects ofoperation of the sample conditioning assembly 28, for example, asdescribed herein.

As shown in FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the one or more FCC processcontroller(s) 24 may be configured to prescriptively control one or moreprocess parameters associated with operation of one or more of the FCCprocessing units 22. For example, the FCC process controller(s) 24 maybe configured to generate one or more processing unit control signal(s)30 indicative of parameters associated with operation of the FCCprocessing units 22, such as, for example, the rate of supply of thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18 the one or more FCC processing units 22; thepressure of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 supplied to the one or moreFCC processing units 22; a preheating temperature of the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18 supplied to the one or more FCC processing units 22; thetemperature in the FCC reactor 12 or one or more other FCC processingunits 22; or a reactor pressure associated with a reaction mixture inthe FCC reactor 12, wherein the reaction mixture may include thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18 and catalyst to promote catalytic cracking ofthe hydrocarbon feed/charge 18. For example, according to someembodiments, the assemblies and processes described herein may be usedto produce propylene. In some such embodiments, the one or more processparameters may include, for example, residence time in the reactor,reaction temperature, catalyst-to-oil ratio, hydrocarbon partialpressure, and/or other process parameters associated with the productionof propylene by an FCC processing assembly known to those skill in theart. Control of other parameters associated with operation of the FCCprocessing units 22 are contemplated. In some embodiments, controllingthe one or more operating parameters of the one or more FCC processingunits 22 may include controlling the one or more operating parametersagainst operating constraints associated with the one or more FCCprocessing units 22.

In some embodiments, a feedstock parameter associated with thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18 supplied to the one or more FCC processingunits may include content, temperature, pressure, flow rate, APIgravity, UOP K factor, distillation points, coker gas oil content,carbon residue content, nitrogen content, sulfur content, catalyst oilratio, saturates content, thiophene content, single-ring aromaticscontent, dual-ring aromatics content, triple-ring aromatics content,and/or quad-ring aromatics content.

In some embodiments, one or more of the FCC process controller(s) 24 maybe configured to prescriptively control at least a portion of the FCCprocess by, for example, operating an analytical cracking model, whichmay be executed by one or more computer processors. In some embodiments,the analytical cracking model may be configured to improve the accuracyof: predicting (or determining) one or more properties and/or one ormore parameters associated with the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 suppliedto the one or more FCC processing units 22; predicting (or determining)one or more properties and/or one or more parameters associated withintermediate materials produced by the one or more FCC processing units22; controlling the one or more properties and/or one or more parametersassociated with the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 supplied to the one ormore FCC processing units 22; controlling the one or more propertiesand/or one or more parameters associated with the intermediate materialsproduced by the one or more FCC processing units 22; controlling one ormore properties and/or one or more parameters associated with the FCCeffluent produced by the one or more FCC processing units 22; the targetproperties of the unit product materials produced by the one or more FCCprocessing units 22; and/or the target properties of downstreammaterials produced by one or more of the downstream processing units,such as, for example, the fractionator 26 and/or processing unitsassociated with operation of the fractionator 26.

In some embodiments, the analytical cracking model may include or be amachine-learning-trained model. In at least some such embodiments, theFCC process controller(s) 24 may be configured to: (a) provide, to theanalytical cracking model, catalytic cracking processing data relatedto: (i) material data including one or more of: feedstock dataindicative of one or more parameters and/or properties associated withthe hydrocarbon feed/charge 18; unit material data indicative of one ormore unit material properties associated with the one or more unitmaterials; and/or downstream material data indicative of one or moredownstream material properties associated with one or more downstreammaterials produced by the one or more downstream processing units 36;and/or (ii) processing assembly data including: first processing unitdata indicative of one or more operating parameters 32 associated withoperation of the one or more processing units 34, such as, for example,the one or more FCC processing units 22; second processing unit dataindicative of one or more operating parameters associated with operationof the one or more of the processing units 34 (collectively), such as,for example, the one or more downstream processing units 36; and/orconditioning assembly data indicative of operation of a sampleconditioning assembly 28 configured to one or more of control a sampletemperature of a material sample, remove particulates from the materialsample, dilute the material sample in solvent, or degas the materialsample; and/or (b) prescriptively controlling, based at least in part onthe catalytic cracking processing data: one or more hydrocarbonfeedstock parameters and/or properties associated with the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18; one or more first operating parameters associated withoperation of the one or more FCC processing units 22; one or moreproperties associated with the one or more unit materials; content ofthe one or more unit materials; one or more second operating parametersassociated with operation of the one or more downstream processing units36 positioned downstream relative to the one or more FCC processingunits 22; one or more properties associated with the one or moredownstream materials produced by the one or more downstream processingunits 36; content of the one or more downstream materials; and/or one ormore sample conditioning assembly operating parameters associated withoperation of the sample conditioning assembly 28. In some embodiments,the unit material properties and/or unit material parameters (e.g.,intermediates and/or products of the FCC process and/or downstreamprocesses) may include, for example, but are not limited to, amount ofbutane (C₄) free gasoline (volume), amount of total C₄ (volume), amountof dry gas (wt), amount of coke (wt), gasoline octane, amount of lightfuel oil (LFO), amount of heavy fuel oil (HFO), amount of hydrogensulfide (H₂S), amount of sulfur in the LFO, and/or the aniline point ofthe LFO. Other unit material properties and/or parameters arecontemplated.

In some embodiments, the analytical cracking model may include one ormore cracking algorithms. The cracking algorithms may be configured todetermine, based at least in part on the catalytic cracking data, targetmaterial properties for one or more of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18,the unit materials, or the downstream materials. In some embodiments,the cracking algorithms further may be configured to prescriptivelycontrol operation of one or more of the FCC processing units 22 and/orthe one or more downstream processing units 36, for example, to produceone or more of unit materials having unit material properties within afirst predetermined range of target unit material properties for theunit materials, or one or more of downstream materials having downstreammaterial properties within a second predetermined range of targetmaterial properties for the downstream materials. Within range mayinclude within a range above (but not below) the target unit materialproperties or the target material properties of the downstreammaterials, within a range below (but not above) the target unit materialproperties or the target material properties of the downstreammaterials, or within a range surrounding (on either or both sides of)the target unit material properties or the target material properties ofthe downstream materials. The cracking algorithms also may be configuredto determine one or more of actual unit material properties for the unitmaterials produced by the one or more FCC processing units 24 or one ormore of actual downstream material properties for the downstreammaterials produced by the one or more downstream processing units 36.The cracking algorithms, in some embodiments, further may be configuredto determine one or more of unit material differences between the actualunit material properties and the target unit material properties ordownstream material differences between the actual downstream materialproperties and the target downstream material properties. In someembodiments, the cracking algorithms further still may be configured tochange, based at least in part on one or more of the unit materialdifferences or the downstream material differences, the one or morecracking algorithms to reduce the one or more of the unit materialdifferences or the downstream material differences. In some embodiments,the cracking algorithms may result in more responsively controlling theFCC processing assembly 10, the FCC processing unit(s) 22, and/or thedownstream processing unit(s) 36 to achieve material outputs that moreaccurately and responsively converge on the target properties.

In some embodiments, the one or more FCC process controller(s) 24 may beconfigured to prescriptively control by one or more of (i) generating,based at least in part on the target unit material properties, one ormore first processing unit control signals configured to control atleast one first processing parameter associated with operation of theone or more FCC processing unit(s) 22 to produce one or more unitmaterials having unit material properties within the first preselectedrange of the target unit material properties; or (ii) generating, basedat least in part on the target downstream material properties, a secondprocessing unit control signal configured to control at least one secondprocessing parameter associated with operation of the one or moredownstream processing unit(s) 36 to produce one or more downstreammaterials having downstream material properties within the secondpreselected range of the target downstream material properties. In someembodiments, the FCC process controller(s) 24 still further may beconfigured to prescriptively control operation of the sampleconditioning assembly 28, for example, by generating, based at least inpart on the catalytic cracking data, a conditioning control signalconfigured to control at least one conditioning parameter related tooperation of the sample conditioning assembly 28.

In some embodiments, the FCC process controller(s) 24 may be configuredto predict the one or more hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 sample properties,for example, by mathematically manipulating a feedstock spectra signalindicative of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra to provide amanipulated feedstock signal, and communicating the manipulatedfeedstock signal to an analytical property model configured to predict,based at least in part on the manipulated feedstock signal, the one ormore hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties. In some examples, the FCCprocess controller(s) 24 may be configured to predict the one or moreunit material sample properties by mathematically manipulating a unitmaterial spectra signal indicative of the unit material sample spectrato provide a manipulated unit material signal, and communicating themanipulated unit material signal to an analytical property modelconfigured to predict, based at least in part on the manipulated unitmaterial signal, the one or more unit material sample properties. Insome embodiments, the mathematical manipulation may be performed, forexample, for an individual wavelength and/or a plurality of wavelengthsover a range of wavelengths, and the mathematical manipulation may bebased on, for example, a mathematical relationship, which may includeone or more of a ratio, a correlation, an addition, a subtraction, amultiplication, a division, taking one or more derivatives, an equation,or a combination thereof, and/or other mathematically-derivedrelationships.

In some embodiments, the one or more FCC process controller(s) 24 may beconfigured to prescriptively control one or more aspects of the FCCprocess by, for example, generating, based at least in part on one ormore of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 sample properties or one or moreof the unit material sample properties, the one or more processing unitcontrol signal(s) 30 to control on-line, during the FCC process, one ormore of the processing parameter(s) 32 related to operation of one ormore of the FCC processing unit(s) 22 and/or one or more of thedownstream processing unit(s) 36. For example, in some embodiments, theone or more unit sample properties may include reaction effluent yield,and the prescriptive control may include controlling a riser outlettemperature based at least in part on the reaction effluent yield and/orriser lift velocity based at least in part on the reaction effluentyield. In some embodiments, the one or more unit material sampleproperties may include FCC product yield, and the prescriptive controlmay include, for example, controlling riser lift steam rate based atleast in part on the FCC product yield. In some embodiments, the one ormore unit material sample properties may include riser strippereffluent, and the prescriptive control may include, for example,controlling FCC catalyst stripping based at least in part on the riserstripper effluent.

In some embodiments, the one or more unit material sample properties mayinclude one or more reaction effluent properties, and the FCC processcontroller(s) 24 may further be configured to on-line model, based atleast in part on the one or more reaction effluent properties, operationof the one or more FCC processing unit(s) 22. In some embodiments, theone or more FCC process controller(s) 24 may be configured toprescriptively control, real-time for improvement or optimization of theFCC process. The FCC process controller(s) 24 may be configured, in atleast some embodiments, to provide the one or more hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18 sample properties and/or the one or more unit materialsample properties to fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) simulation software,for example, to model FCC processing unit material yields and/or FCCunit material characteristics. For example, the one or more FCC processcontroller(s) 24 may be configured to determine, via the FCC simulationsoftware, based at least in part on the one or more hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18 sample properties and/or the one or more unit materialsample properties, one or more processing unit control parameters toachieve the FCC processing unit material yields and/or the FCC unitmaterial characteristics.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the FCC reactor 12 may be configured to receive thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18 and a catalyst to promote catalytic crackingof the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 into the FCC effluent 38, with thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18 and the catalyst providing a reactionmixture. In some such embodiments, the FCC control assembly 16 mayinclude the one or more spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N, whichmay be configured to analyze reaction mixture samples taken from one ormore locations of the FCC reactor 12 to obtain unit material samples of,for example, catalyst stripper vapor, reactor dilute vapor, riser vapor,and/or reactor effluent, for example, to determine respective catalyststripper vapor yield, reactor dilute vapor yield, riser vapor yield,and/or reactor effluent yield.

In some embodiments, the unit sample properties may include one or moreproperties associated with reactor dilute vapors, and the FCC processcontroller(s) 24 may be configured to prescriptively control riseroutlet conditions based at least in part on the reactor dilute vapors,and/or vapor quench based at least in part on the reactor dilute vapors.The one or more unit material properties may include one more unitmaterial yields, and, in some embodiments, the FCC process controller(s)24 may be configured to tune, based at least in part on the one or moreunit material yields, a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) simulation model,and/or benchmark, based at least in part on the one or more unitmaterial yields, refinery linear program predicted yields.

As shown in FIG. 1 , some embodiments of the FCC processing assembly 10may include the FCC reactor 12, the catalyst regenerator 14, and the FCCcontrol assembly 16 configured to enhance control of operation of atleast some aspects of the FCC processing assembly 10 and relatedprocesses, such as the FCC process, as described herein. As shown inFIG. 1 , the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 may be supplied via a feedconduit 40, and a heater 42 may be provided and configured to preheatthe feed/charge 18 prior to being supplied to the FCC reactor 12. Theheater 42 may be any temperature control unit capable of heating thefeed-charge 18 to a predetermined preheating temperature, such as, forexample, a fossil-fuel-fired heater (e.g., a gas burner) and/or anelectrically-powered heater. The heat flux supplied to the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18 may be controlled by, for example, the FCC processcontroller(s) 24, which may control a flow of fuel (e.g., via a controlvalve) and/or electrical power supplied to the heater 42. As shown inFIG. 1 , in some embodiments, a sample of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18may be extracted upstream (before) the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 ispreheated, and the sample of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 may besupplied to the sample conditioning assembly 28 via a feed/charge sampleconduit 44 for conditioning prior to be supplied to the one or morespectroscopic analyzer(s) 20A through 20N for analysis, for example, asdescribed herein. In some embodiments, a fiber optic probe incommunication with the one or more spectroscopic analyzer(s) 20A through20N may be inserted directly into the feed conduit 40 to facilitateanalysis of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 by one or more of thespectroscopic analyzer(s) 20A through 20N, which may prevent a need toextract the sample of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 for analysis viathe feed/charge sample conduit 44. In some embodiments, water/steam 46may be added to the preheated hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 via awater/steam conduit 48, for example, as shown in FIG. 1 .

As shown in FIG. 1 , some embodiments of the FCC processing assembly 10may include a riser 50 for conveying the preheated hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18 to the FCC reactor 12 and for combining catalyst 52,which may be received from the catalyst regenerator 14, with thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18 forming a reaction mixture 54, for example,to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 into theFCC effluent 38 in the FCC reactor 12. For example, the catalyst 52 maybe supplied to a lower portion of the riser 50, for example, via acatalyst return line 56, as shown in FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, thecatalyst regenerator 14 may be configured to receive spent catalyst fromthe FCC reactor 12 via a catalyst stripper line 80 and at leastpartially recondition the spent catalyst, for example, by facilitatingcontact between the spent catalyst and air to burn-off carbon andproduce flue gas that may exit the catalyst regenerator 14 via aregenerator cyclone 57 and a flue gas line 58. The reaction mixture 54may be in the form of vaporized products, which ascend the riser 50 andmay be recovered, for example, via a reactor cyclone 59 in the form ofthe FCC effluent 38. In some embodiments, the FCC processing unit(s) 22may include a catalyst cooler 60, and the FCC process controller(s) 24may be configured to control operation of the catalyst cooler 60.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the FCC effluent 38 may be supplied to one or moredownstream processing units 36, which may include, for example, thefractionator 26 and/or other associated downstream processing units 36.The fractionator 26 may be configured to separate various hydrocarbonproducts of the FCC effluent 38 received from the FCC reactor 12, suchas, for example, hydrocarbon gases 60 (e.g., propane, butane, methane,and/or ethane), gasoline 62, light gas oil 64, and/or heavy gas oil 66.In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heavy gas oil 66 (e.g.,naphtha) may be recycled and added to the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 viaa recycle line 67. In some embodiments, the FCC reactor 12 and/or thecatalyst regenerator 14 may operate according to known FCC reactor andcatalyst regenerator processes, except as described herein.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the one or more spectroscopic analyzers 20A through20B may be configured to receive material samples from one or morelocations associated with the FCC processes and/or downstream processes.In some embodiments, the material samples, prior to being received bythe one or more spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N for analysis,may be conditioned, for example, via the sample conditioning assembly28, as described herein.

For example, the one or more spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N maybe configured to receive (e.g., on-line and/or in a laboratory) a sampleof the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 to be supplied to the one or more FCCprocessing units 22 associated with the refining operation via thefeed/charge sample conduit 44. The one or more spectroscopic analyzers20A through 20N may be configured to analyze the sample of thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18 to provide hydrocarbon feedstock samplespectra.

In some embodiments, for example, as shown FIG. 1 , the one or morespectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may be configured to receiveon-line a sample of the one or more unit materials produced by the oneor more FCC processing units 22. The one or more unit materials mayinclude intermediate materials and/or unit product materials. The one ormore spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may be configured toanalyze the samples of the unit materials to provide unit materialsample spectra.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , one or more of the spectroscopicanalyzers 20A through 20N may be configured to receive on-line a sampleof the FCC effluent 38 from the outlet of the FCC reactor 12, forexample, via an effluent conduit 68, and the one or more spectroscopicanalyzers 20A through 20N may be configured to analyze the FCC effluent38 to generate one or more effluent sample spectra. In some embodiments,the one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may beconfigured to receive on-line a sample of the reaction mixture 54, forexample, taken from one or more locations of the FCC reactor 12 and/orthe riser 50 via a reaction mixture conduit 70, and analyze the reactionmixture 54 to generate one or more reaction mixture spectra. In somesuch embodiments, samples of the reaction mixture 54 may be taken fromtwo or more locations of the FCC reactor 12 and/or riser 50, andrespective samples of the reaction mixture 54 may be analyzed togenerate two or more sets of reaction mixture spectra.

As shown in FIG. 1 , one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20Athrough 20N may be configured to receive on-line two or more samples ofthe reaction mixture 54 taken from two or more respective differentpoints along the height of the riser 50 via two or more riser sampleconduits 72 (e.g., 72A, 72B, 72C, 72D, etc., as shown in FIG. 1 ), andrespective samples of the reaction mixture 54 may be analyzed togenerate two or more sets of reaction mixture spectra. In someembodiments, the one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20A through20N may be configured to receive on-line a sample of the reactionmixture 54, for example, taken at the outlet of the riser 50 via a riseroutlet conduit 74, and the sample of the reaction mixture 54 taken fromthe outlet of the riser 50 may be analyzed to generate reaction mixtureoutlet spectra.

In some embodiments, one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20Athrough 20N may be configured to analyze sample of the reaction mixture54 taken at the outlet of the riser 50, and another one of thespectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may be configured to analyze theFCC effluent 38 taken at the outlet of the FCC reactor 12, the sample ofthe reaction mixture 54 and the sample of the FCC effluent 38 may beanalyzed substantially concurrently. In some embodiments, one or more ofthe spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may be configured to receiveon-line two or more reaction mixture samples 54 taken from two or morerespective different locations of the cross section of the riser 50(e.g., form two or more respective different locations of the diameter),and the two or more samples of the reaction mixture 54 may be analyzedto generate two or more respective sets of reaction mixture spectra. Insome embodiments, one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20A through20N may be configured to receive on-line a sample of the reactionmixture 54 taken from the inlet of the riser 50 via a riser inletconduit 76, and the sample taken from the inlet of the riser 50 may beanalyzed to generate one or more riser inlet sample spectra.

As shown in FIG. 1 , one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 20Athrough 20N may be configured to receive on-line samples of the one ormore downstream unit materials produced by one or more of the downstreamprocessing units 36, such as the fractionator 26, and generate one ormore downstream unit material sample spectra. For example, one or moreof the spectroscopic analyzers 20A through 20N may be configured toreceive on-line samples of one or more of a sample of the hydrocarbongases 60 via a gas sample conduit 84, a sample of the gasoline 62 via agasoline sample conduit 86, a sample of the light gas oil 64 via a lightgas oil sample conduit 88, or a sample of the heavy gas oil 66 via aheavy gas oil sample conduit 90. The one or more spectroscopic analyzers20A through 20N may be configured to analyze one or more of thedownstream unit materials and generate one or more downstream materialspectra indicative of one or more properties of the downstream unitmaterials, which may be used to predict (or determine) the one or moreproperties of the downstream unit materials.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the analysis of the one or more spectroscopicanalyzers 20A through 20N may be communicated to the one or more FCCprocess controller(s) 24. In some embodiments, the one or more FCCprocess controller(s) 24 may be configured to receive one or moresignals indicative of the spectra associated with the feed/charge 18,the spectra associated with the reaction mixture 54, the spectraassociated with the FCC effluent 38, and/or the spectra associated withunit materials produced by the one or more downstream processing units36, compare one or more respective material properties associatedtherewith (e.g., hydrocarbon group type) against an optimum materialsslate desired for improved or optimum efficiency. In some embodiments,such as comparison may be used to control supply of the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18 (e.g., flow rate, temperature, pressure, and/or content),and/or operation of one or more of the FCC processing units 22,operation of the sample conditioning assembly 28, and/or or operation ofone or more of the downstream processing units (e.g., the fractionator26). The FCC process controller(s) 24 may be configured to generate oneor more processing unit control signal(s) 30, which may be communicatedto one or more actuators (e.g., flow control valves and/or pumps), toone or more of the FCC processing units 22, and/or to one or more of thedownstream processing units 36, to control one or more processingparameters 32 associated with the FCC process and/or associatedprocesses. In some embodiments, the one or more processing controlsignal(s) 30 may be used to control the content, pressure, and/ortemperature of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18, and/or to controloperation of the sample conditioning assembly 28, for example, asdescribed herein.

As shown in FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the FCC processing assembly 10may include a network 92 providing communication between components ofthe FCC processing assembly 10. The network 92 may be any type ofcommunications network, such as, for example, a hard-wired may operateaccording to any known hard-wired communications protocols and/orwireless communications protocols, as will be understood by thoseskilled in the art.

In some embodiments, the FCC process controller(s) 24 may be configuredto supply one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties and/or oneor more unit material sample properties to fluid catalytic cracking(FCC) simulation software to model FCC processing unit material yieldsand/or FCC unit material characteristics. In some examples, the FCCsimulation software may be configured to determine, based at least inpart on the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties and/orthe one or more unit material sample properties, one or more processingunit control parameters to achieve the FCC processing unit materialyields and/or the FCC unit material characteristics. In someembodiments, the FCC simulation software may be configured to determineone or more properties of the one or more downstream materials based atleast in part on the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock properties and/orthe one or more processing unit control parameters.

In some embodiments, the FCC simulation software may be configured tocompare the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock properties to modelhydrocarbon feedstock properties, and determine feedstock differencesbetween the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock properties and the modelhydrocarbon feedstock properties. Based at least in part on thefeedstock differences, the FCC simulation software may be configured todetermine the one or more processing unit control parameters to increasethe efficiency of, improve, and/or optimize the FCC process.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example FCCprocessing assembly 10 including an example FCC control assembly 16 andan example sample conditioning assembly 28, according to embodiments ofthe disclosure. As schematically shown in FIG. 2 , the example FCCcontrol assembly 16 may be used to at least partially (e.g., fully)control an FCC process performed by the FCC processing assembly 10. Asshown in FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the FCC control assembly 16 mayinclude a sample conditioning assembly 28 and one or more spectroscopicanalyzers, such as, for example, a feed/charge spectroscopic analyzer 94configured to receive (e.g., on-line and/or in a laboratory) via a feedsample conduit 96 a sample of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18, an FCCspectroscopic analyzer 98 configured to receive on-line via an FCCsample conduit 100 a sample of one or more unit product materials 102(e.g., samples of reaction mixture, and/or FCC effluent), anintermediates spectroscopic analyzer 104 configured to receive on-linevia an intermediates sample conduit 105 a sample of one or moreintermediate materials 106 (e.g., materials taken from points anywherein the process between the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 and downstreammaterials 108 produced by one or more downstream processing units 36), aunit products spectroscopic analyzer 110 configured to receive on-linevia a unit products sample conduit 112 a sample of one or more unitproduct materials 102 produced by one or more of the FCC processingunit(s) 22, and/or a downstream products spectroscopic analyzer 114configured to receive on-line via a downstream materials sample conduit116 a sample of one or more of the downstream material(s) 108 producedby one or more of the downstream processing unit(s) 36. In someembodiments, one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers shown in FIG. 2may substantially correspond to one or more of the spectroscopicanalyzers 20A through 20N shown FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, one ormore of the spectroscopic analyzers shown in FIG. 2 may be configured toreceive (e.g., on-line), analyze, and generate one or more spectraindicative of properties of the received samples.

As shown in FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the FCC processing assembly 10also may include one or more FCC process controller(s) 24 incommunication with one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers andcontrol one or more aspects of the FCC process. For example, in someembodiments, the FCC process controller(s) 24 may be configured topredict one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties associatedwith samples of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18, for example, based atleast in part on hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra generated by thefeed/charge spectroscopic analyzer 94. In some embodiments, the FCCprocess controller(s) 24 may be configured to predict (or determine) oneor more unit material sample properties associated with the unitmaterial samples based at least in part on the unit material samplespectra generated by the unit products spectroscopic analyzer 110. Forexample, as described herein, each of the one or more spectroscopicanalyzer(s) shown in FIG. 2 may output a signal communicated to the oneor more FCC process controller(s) 24, which may mathematicallymanipulate the signal (e.g., take a first or higher order derivative ofthe signal) received from the spectroscopic analyzer, and subject themanipulated signal to a defined model to generate material properties ofinterest, for example, as described herein. In some embodiments, suchmodels may be derived from signals obtained from spectroscopic analyzermeasurement of the one or more unit materials (e.g., the crackingproducts). In some examples, an analyzer controller in communicationwith a corresponding one or more of the spectroscopic analyzer(s) may beconfigured to receive the signal output by the one or more correspondingspectroscopic analyzers and mathematically manipulate the signal, forexample, prior to the one or more FCC process controller(s) 24 receivingthe signal.

In some embodiments, the FCC process controller(s) 24 may be configuredto prescriptively control, based at least in part on the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock sample properties and the one or more unitmaterial sample properties: (i) one or more feedstock parameters and/orproperties associated with the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 supplied tothe one or more FCC processing units 22; (ii) content of theintermediate materials 106 produced by one or more of the FCC processingunits 22; operation of the one or more FCC processing units 22; (iii)content of the one or more unit product materials 102; and/or operationof one or more downstream processing units 36 positioned downstreamrelative to the one or more FCC processing units 22, such as, forexample, a fractionator 26 (see FIG. 1 ) configured to separate varioushydrocarbon products of FCC effluent 38 received from the FCC reactor12. In some embodiments, the prescriptive control may result inenhancing accuracy of target content of one or more of the intermediatematerials 106, the unit product materials 102, or downstream materials108 produced by the one or more downstream processing units 36downstream from the one or more FCC processing units, thereby to moreresponsively control the FCC processing assembly 10 and/or thedownstream processing unit(s) 36 to achieve material outputs that moreaccurately and responsively converge on target properties.

A shown in FIG. 2 , the FCC processing assembly 10 further may include asample conditioning assembly 28 configured to condition the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18, for example, prior to being supplied to the one or morespectroscopic analyzer(s). In some embodiments, the sample, conditioningassembly 28 may be configured to filter samples of the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18, change (e.g., control) the temperature of the samples ofthe hydrocarbon feed/charge 18, dilute the samples of the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18 in solvent (e.g., on-line and/or in a laboratorysetting), and/or degas the samples of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18. Insome embodiments, the sample conditioning assembly 28 also may beconfigured to condition samples of one or more of the intermediatematerials 106, the unit product materials 102, and/or the downstreammaterials 108, for example, prior to being supplied to the one or morespectroscopic analyzer(s), to filter the samples, to change (e.g.,control) the temperature of the samples, dilute the samples in solvent,and/or to degas the samples. In some embodiments, the sampleconditioning assembly 28 may result in more accurate, more repeatable,and/or more consistent analysis of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 and/orthe one or more materials, which may in turn result in improved and/ormore efficient control and/or more accurate control of the FCC process.and/or downstream processes. Example embodiments of a sampleconditioning assembly 28 are described herein, for example, with respectto FIG. 3 . In some embodiments, the one or more FCC processcontroller(s) 24 may be configured to control at least some aspects ofoperation of the sample conditioning assembly 28, for example, asdescribed herein.

As shown in FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the one or more FCC processcontroller(s) 24 may be configured to prescriptively control one or moreprocess parameters associated with operation of one or more of the FCCprocessing units 22. For example, the FCC process controller(s) 24 maybe configured to generate one or more processing unit control signal(s)30 indicative of parameters associated with operation of the FCCprocessing units 22, such as, for example, content of the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18, the rate of supply of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 theone or more FCC processing unit(s) 22; the pressure of the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18 supplied to the one or more FCC processing unit(s) 22; apreheating temperature of the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 supplied to theone or more FCC processing unit(s) 22; the temperature in the FCCreactor 12 or one or more other FCC processing unit(s) 22; or a reactorpressure associated with a reaction mixture in the FCC reactor 12,wherein the reaction mixture may include the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18and catalyst to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbonfeed/charge 18. Control of other parameters associated with operation ofthe FCC processing units 22 are contemplated.

In some embodiments, a feedstock parameter associated with thehydrocarbon feed/charge 18 supplied to the one or more FCC processingunits may include content, temperature, pressure, flow rate, APIgravity, UOP K factor, distillation points, coker gas oil content,carbon residue content, nitrogen content, sulfur content, catalyst oilratio, saturates content, thiophene content, single-ring aromaticscontent, dual-ring aromatics content, triple-ring aromatics content,and/or quad-ring aromatics content.

In some embodiments, one or more of the FCC process controllers 24 maybe configured to prescriptively control at least a portion of the FCCprocess by, for example, operating an analytical cracking model, whichmay be executed by one or more computer processors. In some embodiments,the analytical cracking model may be configured to improve the accuracyof: predicting one or more parameters and/or properties associated withthe hydrocarbon feed/charge 18 supplied to the one or more FCCprocessing unit(s) 22; predicting one or more parameters and/orproperties associated with intermediate materials produced by the one ormore FCC processing unit(s) 22; controlling one or more parametersand/or properties associated with the hydrocarbon feed/charge 18supplied to the one or more FCC processing unit(s) 22; controlling oneor more parameters and/or properties associated with the intermediatematerials produced by the one or more FCC processing unit(s) 22;controlling one or more parameters and/or properties associated with theFCC effluent produced by the one or more FCC processing unit(s) 22; thetarget content of the unit product materials produced by the one or moreFCC processing unit(s) 22; and/or the target content of downstreammaterials produced by one or more of the downstream processing unit(s)36, such as, for example, the fractionator 26 and/or processing unitsassociated with operation of the fractionator 26.

As shown in FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the FCC processing assembly 10may include a network 92 providing communication between components ofthe FCC processing assembly 10. The network 92 may be any type ofcommunications network, such as, for example, a hard-wired may operateaccording to any known hard-wired and/or wireless communicationsprotocols, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example sampleconditioning assembly 28, according to embodiments of the disclosure. Insome embodiments, the sample conditioning assembly 28 may be configuredto condition a sample (e.g., an at least partially continuous samplestream) of one or more materials associated with an FCC process and/orone more processes upstream and/or downstream relative to the FCCprocess, for example, to enhance analysis of the sample by one or morespectroscopic analyzer(s) 20 (e.g., one or more of the spectroscopicanalyzer(s) 20A through 20N shown in FIG. 1 ) associated with theprocess or processes. As described herein, in some embodiments,operation of one or more components of the sample conditioning assembly28 may be at least partially controlled (e.g., prescriptivelycontrolled) via the one or more FCC process controller(s) 24, which mayfurther enhance the analysis of the sample(s) by one or morespectroscopic analyzer(s) 20.

As shown in FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, the sample conditioningassembly 28 may include a sampling circuit 120 positioned to directsamples (e.g., an on-line sample stream) from any point taken along theFCC process, an upstream process, and/or a downstream process, toprovide the samples for analysis. In some embodiments, the samplingcircuit 120 may include a sampler 122 including one or more of a sampleprobe, a sample supply pump, or a pressure adjuster to control a supplyof the sample from a header 124 configured to provide a flow of thesample. The sample conditioning assembly 28 further may include a sampleconditioner 126 in fluid association with the sampling circuit 120 andpositioned to receive the sample via the sampling circuit 120. Thesample conditioner 126 may be configured to condition the sample foranalysis by the one or more spectroscopic analyzer(s) 20.

As shown in FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, the sample conditioner 126 mayinclude a first stage 128 and a second stage 130. For example, the firststage 128 of the sample conditioner 126 may include a first set of oneor more filters 132 including filter media positioned to remove one ormore of water, particulates, or other contaminants from the sample toprovide a filtered sample (e.g., a filtered sample stream). In someembodiments including the second stage 130, the second stage 130 mayinclude, for example, a first temperature control unit 134 in fluidcommunication with the first set of the one or more filters 132 andconfigured to receive the filtered sample and to change (e.g., control)the temperature of the filtered sample of the to provide atemperature-adjusted sample (e.g., a temperature-adjusted samplestream), such that the temperature of the temperature-adjusted sample iswithin a first preselected temperature range. For example, the firsttemperature control unit 134 may include a cooler or heat exchangerconfigured to reduce the temperature of the filtered sample. In someembodiments, the first preselected temperature range may be from about45 degrees F. to about 50 degrees F., although other temperature rangesare contemplated.

In some embodiments, as shown in FG. 3, the second stage 130 also mayinclude a degassing unit 136 configured to degas thetemperature-adjusted sample to provide a degassed sample (e.g., adegassed sample stream). As shown in FIG. 3 , some embodiments mayinclude a second set of one or more filters 138 (e.g., one or morecoalescing filters) in fluid communication with the first temperaturecontrol unit 134 and configured to remove one or more of water,particulates, or other contaminants from the degassed sample. In someembodiments, the second stage 130 further may include a third set of oneor more filters 140 (e.g., one or more hydrophobic and/orliquid-to-liquid filters) configured to further filter the sample. Thesecond stage 130 further may include a second temperature control unit142 in fluid communication with one or more of the degassing unit 136 orthe second set of the one or more filters 138 and configured to change(e.g., control) the temperature of the degassed sample to provide atemperature-adjusted degassed sample (e.g., a temperature-adjusteddegassed sample stream), such that the temperature-adjusted degassedsample has a temperature within a second preselected temperature rangeto feed to the one or more spectroscopic analyzers for more accurate,more consistent, and/or more repeatable analysis (e.g., for moreaccurate property measurements). In some embodiments, the secondtemperature control unit 142 may include a heater or heat exchangerconfigured to increase the temperature of the degassed sample. In someembodiments, the second preselected temperature range may be from about70 degrees F. to about 75 degrees F., although other temperature rangesare contemplated.

As shown in FIG. 3 , some embodiments of the sample conditioningassembly 28 may include an auxiliary filter 144 in fluid communicationwith the sampling circuit 120 and connected in parallel relative to thefirst set of the one or more filters 132. The auxiliary filter 144 maybe configured to receive the sample and remove one or more of water,particulates, or other contaminants from the sample, for example, tooutput a filtered sample when the first set of the one or more filters132 are not in use, for example, during maintenance or service. In someembodiments, the sample conditioning assembly 28 may include a bypassconduit 146 configured to facilitate passage of one or more of water,particulates, or contaminates removed from the sample to one or more of,for example, a process, a sample recovery assembly, or a pump, forexample, as depicted in FIG. 3 as a reclamation process 148.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the sample conditioning assembly 28 may include oneor more temperature sensors 150 associated with the sample conditioningassembly 28 and configured to generate one or more temperature signalsindicative of the temperature of one or more of the filtered sample, thetemperature-adjusted sample, the degassed sample, or thetemperature-adjusted degassed sample. The sample conditioning assembly28 further may include a sample conditioning controller 152 incommunication with the one or more temperature sensors 150 andconfigured to receive the one or more temperature signals andcommunicate the one or more temperature signals to the FCC processcontroller(s) 24, which may use the one or more temperature signals tocontrol an aspect of the FCC process and/or operation of the firsttemperature control unit 134 and/or the second temperature control unit142.

As shown in FIG. 3 , some embodiments may include an insulated sampleline 154 in flow communication with, for example, the second temperaturecontrol unit 142. Some such embodiments further may include a sampleintroducer 156 in flow communication with the second temperature controlunit 142 via the insulated sample line 154, and the sample introducer156 may be configured to provide fluid flow from the second temperaturecontrol unit 142 to the one or more spectroscopic analyzer(s) 20 tosupply the temperature-adjusted degassed sample to the one or morespectroscopic analyzer(s) 20, for example, after at least partiallyconditioning the sample. Some embodiments further may include an opticalfiber cable connected to the second temperature control unit 142 and thesample introducer 156, and the optical fiber cable may be configured tosubstantially maintain the temperature of the temperature-adjusteddegassed sample within the second preselected temperature range, forexample, until the sample reaches the one or more spectroscopicanalyzer(s) 20.

As shown in FIG. 3 , some embodiments of the sample conditioningassembly 28 may include a nitrogen source 158 in selective fluidcommunication via a nitrogen conduit 160 with the first stage 128 of thesample conditioning assembly 28. The nitrogen source 158 may be used toflush portions of the sample conditioning assembly 28, for example,between receipt of different samples, to improve the accuracy ofanalysis of the sample by the one or more spectroscopic analyzer(s) 20.In some embodiments, the nitrogen source 158 may be used to flushparticulates, fluid, and/or contaminates from the sample conditioningassembly 28.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the sample conditioning assembly 28 may include oneor more flow control devices 162, such as valves configured to controlthe flow of samples to, within, and/or at exit of the sampleconditioning assembly 28. In some embodiments, the flow control devices162 may include one or more pumps, one or more flow regulators, etc.,configured to control the flow of samples to, within, and/or at exit ofthe sample conditioning assembly 28. In some embodiments, one or moreactuators (e.g., electrical, hydraulic, and/or pneumatic actuators) maybe connected to one or more of the flow control devices 162, andoperation of the one or more actuators may be controlled via the sampleconditioning controller 152 and/or one or more of the FCC processcontroller(s) 24 to control flow of the samples to, within, and/or atexit of the sample conditioning assembly 28.

FIG. 4A. FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4C are a block diagram of a spectroscopicanalyzer assembly 170 including a first standardized spectroscopicanalyzer 172A and a first analyzer controller 174A configured tostandardize a plurality of spectroscopic analyzers and showing exampleinputs and example outputs in relation to an example timeline, accordingto embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 4B shows the plurality of examplestandardized spectroscopic analyzers 172A through 172N (collectively172) and/or the analyzer controllers 174A through 174N (collectively174) analyzing conditioned materials to output predicted (or determined)material data for the materials for use in example processes, such asthe FCC process and related processes described herein, according toembodiments of the disclosure. According to some embodiments, thespectroscopic analyzers 172A through 172N and the analyzer controllers174A through 174N shown in FIGS. 4A through 4C may substantiallycorrespond the spectroscopic analyzer(s) 20A through 20N shown in FIG. 1and/or the spectroscopic analyzers(s) shown in FIG. 2 . In someembodiments, the spectroscopic analyzers 172 and/or the analyzercontrollers 174 may analyze unconditioned material samples,semi-conditioned material samples, and/or conditioned material samplesto output predicted (or determined) material data for the materialsamples for use in example processes, such as the processes describedherein.

FIG. 4B is a continuation of the block diagram shown in FIG. 4A showingthe plurality of example standardized spectroscopic analyzers 172outputting respective analyzer portfolio sample-based corrections basedat least in part on respective variances, and analyzing conditionedmaterials for outputting respective corrected material spectra,according to embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 4C is a continuation ofthe block diagrams shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B showing respective correctedmaterial spectra output by the plurality of standardized spectroscopicanalyzers 172 used to output predicted (or determined) material data forthe materials for use in an example FCC process, according toembodiments of the disclosure.

Spectroscopic analyzers may be used to non-destructively predict (ordetermine) properties associated with materials. For example, a sampleof material may be fed to a spectroscopic analyzer for analysis, and abeam of electromagnetic radiation may be transmitted into the materialsample, resulting in the spectroscopic analyzer measuring a spectralresponse representative of the chemical composition of the samplematerial, which may be used to predict (or determine) properties of thesample material via the use of modeling. The spectral response mayinclude a spectrum related to the absorbance, transmission,transflectance, reflectance, or scattering intensity caused by thematerial sample over a range of wavelengths, wavenumbers, or frequenciesof the electromagnetic radiation.

Applicant has recognized that over time the results of analysis using aspectroscopic analyzer may change, for example, due to changes ordegradation of the components of the spectroscopic analyzer, such as itslamp, laser, detector, or grating. Changing or servicing components ofthe spectroscopic analyzer may alter its spectral responses relative tothe spectral responses outputted prior to the changes, necessitatingrecalibration. Further, for some applications (e.g., as describedherein), more than one spectroscopic analyzer may be used in associationwith analysis of materials at, for example, a production facility (e.g.,a refinery), and it may be desirable for two or more of thespectroscopic analyzers to generate results that are reproducible andconsistent with one another to enhance control of the productionprocess, such as an FCC process and/or related upstream processes and/ordownstream processes. Due to the complex nature, sensitivity, andprinciple of operation of spectroscopic analyzers, however, twospectroscopic analyzers may not be likely to provide equivalent resultswithin the variability of the primary test method with which calibrationmodels were made without additional activity (e.g., extensive testing),even when analyzing the same sample of material. This may result in alack of reproducibility or consistency of results across differentspectroscopic analyzers, potentially rendering comparisons between theresults outputted by two or more spectroscopic analyzers of littlevalue, unless the spectroscopic analyzers have been calibrated toachieve the same spectral responses.

In some embodiments, methods and assemblies described herein may be usedfor determining and using standardized spectral responses forcalibration (or recalibration) of spectroscopic analyzers. For example,in some embodiments, the methods and assemblies may be used to calibrateor recalibrate a spectroscopic analyzer when the spectroscopic analyzerchanges from a first state to a second state, for example, the secondstate being defined as a period of time after a change to thespectroscopic analyzer causing a need to calibrate the spectroscopicanalyzer. In some embodiments, the recalibration may result in thespectroscopic analyzer outputting a standardized spectrum, for example,such that the spectroscopic analyzer outputs a corrected materialspectrum for an analyzed material, including one or more of anabsorption-corrected spectrum, a transmittance-corrected spectrum, atransflectance-corrected spectrum, a reflectance-corrected spectrum, oran intensity-corrected spectrum and defining the standardized spectrum.In some embodiments, the corrected material spectrum, output when thecalibrated or recalibrated spectroscopic analyzer is in the secondstate, may include a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality ofmaterial properties of an analyzed material (e.g., a sample of thematerial) based at least in part on the corrected material spectrum, theplurality of material properties of the material being substantiallyconsistent with a plurality of material properties of the materialoutputted by the spectroscopic analyzer in the first state. This mayenhance the accuracy, reproducibility, and/or consistency of resultsoutputted by the second-state recalibrated spectroscopic analyzer priorto recalibration relative to results outputted by the first-statespectroscopic analyzer.

In some embodiments, using calibration of a first spectroscopic analyzerto calibrate one or more additional spectroscopic analyzers may includeusing standardized analyzer spectra for calibration of a spectroscopicanalyzer, for example, such that each of the one or more spectroscopicanalyzers outputs a corrected material spectrum, including a pluralityof signals indicative of a plurality of material properties of ananalyzed material based at least in part on the corrected materialspectrum, such that the plurality of material properties of the materialare substantially consistent with a plurality of material properties ofthe material outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer. In someembodiments, this may result in achieving desired levels of accuracy,reproducibility, and/or consistent results from a plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers, potentially rendering comparisons between theresults outputted by two or more of the spectroscopic analyzers morevaluable, for example, when incorporated into a complex processincluding a plurality of different material altering processes, such as,for example, an FCC process and/or related upstream processes and/ordownstream processes.

According to some embodiments, a method for determining and usingstandardized analyzer spectral responses to enhance a process forcalibration of a plurality of spectroscopic analyzers, such that for agiven material each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers outputsa plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of material propertiesof the material, the plurality of material properties of the materialoutput by each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers beingsubstantially consistent with one another, may include transferring oneor more spectral models to each of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers. Each of the one or more spectral models may be indicative ofrelationships between a spectrum or spectra and one or more of theplurality of material properties of one or more materials. The methodalso may include analyzing, via the first spectroscopic analyzer when ina first state, a selected one or more first-state portfolio samples tooutput a standardized analyzer spectra portfolio for the selected one ormore first-state portfolio samples. The standardized analyzer spectraportfolio may include a first-state portfolio sample spectrum for eachof the first-state portfolio samples. The method further may includeanalyzing, via each of a remainder of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers when in a second state a selected one or more second-stateportfolio samples to output second-state portfolio sample spectra forthe selected one or more second-state portfolio samples. Each of thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra may be associated with acorresponding second-state portfolio sample. The analysis of theselected one or more second-state portfolio samples may occur during asecond-state time period. The multi-component samples may include asignificantly greater number of samples than a number of samplesincluded in the second-state portfolio samples, and the second-statetime period for analyzing the second-state portfolio samples may besignificantly less than the first-state time period. The method also mayinclude comparing one or more of the second-state portfolio samplespectra for the selected plurality of portfolio samples to thefirst-state sample spectra of a selected plurality of correspondingfirst-state multi-component samples. The method still further mayinclude determining, based at least in part on the comparison, for theone or more of the selected plurality of portfolio samples of thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra, a variance at one or more of aplurality of wavelengths or over a range of wavelengths between thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra output by each of the remainder ofthe plurality of spectroscopic analyzers when in the second state andthe first-state sample spectra corresponding to the selected one or morefirst-state multi-component material samples output by the firstspectroscopic analyzer in the first state.

In some embodiments, the method still further may include analyzing, viaone or more of the remainder of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzerswhen in the second state, a material received from a material source tooutput a material spectrum. The method also may include transforming,based at least in part on the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio,the material spectrum to output a corrected material spectrum for thematerial when in the second state, the corrected material spectrumincluding one or more of an absorption-corrected spectrum,transmittance-corrected spectrum, a transflectance-corrected spectrum, areflectance-corrected spectrum, or an intensity-corrected spectrum anddefining a standardized spectrum, for example, and/or a mathematicaltreatment of the material spectrum, such as, for example, a secondderivative of the material spectrum.

In the example embodiments shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, thespectroscopic analyzer assembly 170 may include a first spectroscopicanalyzer 172A and a first analyzer controller 174A configured todetermine and use standardized analyzer spectral responses tostandardize spectral responses of one or more (e.g., each) of theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers (e.g., a second spectroscopicanalyzer 172B, a third spectroscopic analyzer 172C, and a fourthspectroscopic analyzer 172D through an N^(th) spectroscopic analyzer172N), such that for a given material one or more of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers outputs a plurality of signals indicative of aplurality of material properties of the material, the plurality ofmaterial properties of the material output by each of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers being substantially consistent with one another.In some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzer assembly 170 may furtherinclude a plurality of analyzer controllers (e.g., a second analyzercontroller 174B, a third analyzer controller 174C, and a fourth analyzercontroller 174D through an N^(th) analyzer controller 174N), eachassociated with a corresponding spectroscopic analyzer.

In some embodiments, each of the analyzer controllers 174 may be incommunication with a respective one of the spectroscopic analyzers 172.For example, the analyzer controllers 174 may each be physicallyconnected to the respective spectroscopic analyzer 172. In some suchembodiments, the spectroscopic analyzers 172 may each include a housingand at least a portion of the respective analyzer controller 174 may becontained in the housing. In some embodiments, the respective analyzercontrollers 174 may be in communication with the respectivespectroscopic analyzers 172 via a hard-wired and/or wirelesscommunications link. In some embodiments, the respective analyzercontrollers 174 may be physically separated from the respectivespectroscopic analyzers 172 and may be in communication with therespective spectroscopic analyzers 172 via a hard-wired communicationslink and/or a wireless communications link. In some embodiments,physical separation may include being spaced from one another, butwithin the same building, within the same facility (e.g., located at acommon manufacturing facility, such as a refinery), or being spaced fromone another geographically (e.g., anywhere in the world). In somephysically separated embodiments, both the spectroscopic analyzer 172and/or the respective analyzer controller 174 may be linked to a commoncommunications network, such as a hard-wired communications networkand/or a wireless communications network. Such communications links mayoperate according to any known hard-wired and/or wireless communicationsprotocols as will be understood by those skilled in the art. AlthoughFIG. 4A schematically depicts each of the analyzer controllers 174Athrough 174N being separate analyzer controllers, in some embodiments,one or more of the analyzer controllers 174A through 174N may be part ofa common analyzer controller configured to control one or more thespectroscopic analyzers 172A through 172N.

In some embodiments, using the standardized analyzer spectra may includetransferring one or more spectral models of the first spectroscopicanalyzer 172A when in the first state to one or more of the secondthrough N^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 172 b through 172N withrespective analyzer controllers 174B through 174N after a change to thesecond through N^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N, suchthat, when in the second state, analysis by the second through N^(th)spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N of multi-component materialsresults in generation of second through N^(th) material spectra 208Bthrough 208N (FIGS. 4B and 4C) that are consistent with a first-statematerial spectrum outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A,when in the first state, resulting from analysis of the firstmulti-component material 32A. Thus, in some embodiments, the firstspectroscopic analyzer 172A and one or more of the second through N^(th)spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N will be capable of generatingthe substantially same spectrum after an event causing the need tocalibrate (or recalibrate) one or more of the second through N^(th)spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N (e.g., a change to one or moreof the second through N^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N,such as maintenance and/or component replacement). In some embodiments,this may improve one or more of the accuracy, reproducibility, orconsistency of results outputted by the one or more of the secondthrough N^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172 N after a changein state from the first state to the second state. For example, one ormore of the second through N^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 172B through172N with one or more of the respective second through N^(th) analyzercontrollers 174B through 174N may be configured to analyze amulti-component material and output plurality of signals indicative of aplurality of material properties of the material based at least in parton a corrected material spectrum, such that the plurality of materialproperties of the material predicted (or determined) by one or more ofthe second through N^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172Nand/or one or more of the second through N^(th) analyzer controllers174B through 174N are substantially consistent with (e.g., substantiallythe same as) a plurality of material properties outputted by the firstspectroscopic analyzer 172A with first analyzer controller 174A in thefirst state. This may result in standardizing the one or more secondthrough N^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N with thecorresponding one or more of the second through N^(th) analyzercontrollers 174B through 174N based at least in part on the firstspectroscopic analyzer 172A with the first analyzer controller 174A.

As shown in FIG. 4A, in some embodiments, the first analyzer controller174A may be configured to determine standardized analyzer spectra forcalibration of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzer 172B through 172Nwhen one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172Nchanges from a first state to a second state. For example, the firstanalyzer controller 174A, while in the first state and during afirst-state time period T1, may be configured to analyze a plurality ofdifferent multi-component samples 176 and, based at least in part on themulti-component samples 176, output first-state sample spectra 178 ofthe different multi-component samples 176. In some embodiments, each ofthe first-state sample spectra 178 may be collected and stored, forexample, in a database. In some embodiments, each of the first-statesample spectra 178 may be associated with a corresponding differentmulti-component sample 176 and may be indicative of a plurality ofdifferent multi-component sample properties. In some embodiments, thefirst-state sample spectra 178, in combination with material data 179associated with each of the multi-component samples 176, may be used tooutput (e.g., develop) one or more spectral model(s) 180, which, inturn, may be used to calibrate the first spectroscopic analyzer 172Awith the first analyzer controller 174A, resulting in an analyzercalibration 182. The material data 179 may include any data related toone or more properties associated with one or more of the respectivemulti-component samples 176. The one or more spectral model(s) 180 maybe indicative of relationships (e.g., correlations) between a spectrumor spectra of the first-state sample spectra 178 and one or moreproperties associated with one or more of respective multi-componentsamples 176, and the relationships may be used to provide the analyzercalibration 182. In some embodiments, the one or more spectral model(s)180 may represent a univariate or multivariate regression (e.g., aleast-squares regression, a multiple linear regression (MLR), a partialleast squares regression (PLS), a principal component regression (PCR)),such as a regression of material data (e.g., one or more properties ofthe multi-component sample) against a corresponding spectrum of thefirst-state sample spectra 178. In some embodiments, the one or morespectral model(s) 180 may represent topological modeling by use ofnearest neighbor positioning to calculate properties, based on thematerial data (e.g., one or more properties of the multi-componentsample) against a corresponding spectrum of the first-state samplespectra 178, as also will be understood by those skilled in the art.This may facilitate prediction of one or more properties of a materialanalyzed by the spectroscopic analyzers 172A through 172N, oncecalibrated, based at least in part on a spectrum associated with thematerial.

In some embodiments, the plurality of different multi-component samples176 may include a relatively large number of samples. For example, insome embodiments, in order to calibrate the first spectroscopic analyzer172A with the first analyzer controller 174A to a desired level ofaccuracy and/or reproducibility, it may be necessary to analyze hundredsor thousands of multi-component samples 176 that have correspondingmaterial data 179. Due to the relatively large number of multi-componentsamples 176 used for calibration, the first-state time period T1, whichmay generally correspond to the time period during which themulti-component samples 176 are analyzed, may take a significant amountof time to complete. For example, in some embodiments, in order tocalibrate the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A with the first analyzercontroller 174A to a desired level of accuracy and/or reproducibility,due to the relatively large number of samples analyzed, the first-statetime period T₁ may take dozens of hours or longer to complete.

Following calibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A with thefirst analyzer controller 174A, the spectral responses of the firstspectroscopic analyzer 172A with the first analyzer controller 174A maybe standardized, for example, by analyzing one or more first-stateportfolio sample(s) 183 to output a standardized analyzer spectraportfolio 184 including one or more first-state portfolio sample spectra185. For example, the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A with the firstanalyzer controller 174A, when in the first state, may be used toanalyze one or more first-state portfolio sample(s) 183 to output afirst-state portfolio spectrum 185 for each of the one or morefirst-state portfolio sample(s) 183. In some embodiments, the respectivefirst-state portfolio sample spectrum 185 associated with a respectivefirst-state portfolio sample 183 may be stored to develop thestandardized analyzer spectra portfolio 184, which may be used to reducea variance between a second-state portfolio sample spectrum (outputtedduring a second state) and a corresponding first-state portfolio samplespectrum 185 of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 184.

As shown in FIG. 4A, following calibration and/or standardization of thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 172A with the first analyzer controller174A, the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A with the first analyzercontroller 174A may be used to analyze multi-component materials topredict properties of the multi-component materials analyzed. Forexample, in some embodiments, the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A withthe first analyzer controller 174A may be used as part of amanufacturing process, for example, as described herein with respect toFIGS. 1, 2, and 3 . For example, the first spectroscopic analyzer 172Awith the first analyzer controller 174A may be used to analyzemulti-component materials, and the corresponding material propertiespredicted (or determined) from the analyses may be used to assist withat least partial control of the manufacturing process or processes.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, a manufacturing process may result ingenerating conditioned materials for analysis 186A (e.g., fluids, suchas gases and/or liquids) during the manufacturing process, andmulti-component materials associated with the manufacturing process maybe diverted for analysis by the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A withthe first analyzer controller 174A. In some embodiments, for example, asshown in FIG. 4A, the multi-component material may be conditioned via asample conditioning assembly to output conditioned material for analysis186A by the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A with the first analyzercontroller 174 a, for example, as described previously herein withrespect to FIG. 3 . In some embodiments, the material conditioning mayinclude one or more of filtering particulates and/or fluid contaminantsfrom the multi-component material, controlling the temperature of themulti-component material (e.g., reducing or increasing the temperatureto be within a desired range of temperatures), or controlling thepressure of the multi-component material (e.g., reducing or increasingthe pressure to be within a desired range of pressures). In someembodiments, the spectroscopic analyzers 172 and/or the analyzercontrollers 174 may analyze unconditioned materials and/orsemi-conditioned materials to output predicted (or determined) materialdata for the materials for use in example processes.

Upon analysis of the multi-component materials, which may be a feed to aprocessing unit and/or an output from a processing unit, the firstspectroscopic analyzer 172A with the first analyzer controller 174A,using the analyzer calibration 182, may output a plurality of materialspectra 188A and, based at least in part on the material spectra 188A,predict a plurality of material properties associated with themulti-component materials. In some embodiments, the material spectra188A and the associated predicted or determined material properties maybe stored in a database as predicted (or determined) material data 190A.It is contemplated that additional material data associated with themulti-component materials analyzed may also be included in the databaseto supplement the predicted or determined material properties. Forexample, the database may define a library including material dataincluding correlations between the plurality of material spectra and theplurality of different material properties of the correspondingmaterial.

In some embodiments, the analysis of the multi-component materials mayoccur during a first material time period T₁, as shown in FIG. 4A. Asshown in FIG. 42A, in some embodiments, the first analyzer controller174A (and/or one or more of the plurality of analyzer controllers 174Bthrough 174N, as explained herein) may also be configured to output oneor more output signals 192A indicative of the multi-component materialproperties. The output signal(s) 192A may be used to at least partiallycontrol a manufacturing process, for example, as described with respectto FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 (e.g., output signals 192A through 192N). Althoughthe output signals 192A through 192N are shown as individually beingcommunicated to the FCC process controller(s) 24 (FIG. 4C) independentlyof one another, in some examples, two or more of the output signals 192Athrough 192N may be combined prior to being communicated to the FCCprocess controller(s) 24. For example, two or more (e.g., all) of theoutput signals 192A through 192N may be received at a single receiver,which in turn, communicates the two or more of the combined signals tothe FCC process controller(s) 24. In some examples, at least some of theoutput signal(s) 192A through 192N may be communicated to one or moreoutput device(s) 214 (FIG. 4C), either independently of communication tothe FCC process controller(s) 24 or via the FCC process controller(s)24, for example, following receipt of the output signals 192A through192N by the FCC process controller(s) 24. The output device(s) 214 mayinclude display devices, such as, for example, a computer monitor and/orportable output devices, such as a laptop computer, a smartphone, atablet computing device, etc., as will be understood by those skilled inthe art. Such communication may be enabled by a communications link,such as a hard-wired and/or wireless communications link, for example,via one or more communications networks (e.g., the network 92 describedherein).

As referenced above, in some embodiments, the first analyzer controller174A may be configured to use the first-state-portfolio sample spectra185 of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 184 to calibrate orrecalibrate one or more of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172Athrough 172N with the respective analyzer controllers 174A through 174N.For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, such change(s) 194 to the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N that might necessitaterecalibration may include, but are not limited to, for example,maintenance performed on the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172Bthrough 172N, replacement of one or more components of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N, cleaning of one or morecomponents of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through172N, re-orienting one or more components of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N, a change in path length(e.g., relative to the path length for prior calibration), or preparingthe plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N for use, forexample, prior to a first use and/or calibration (or recalibration) ofthe plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N specific tothe materials to which they are intended to analyze.

In some embodiments, using respective portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s) 200B through 200N (see FIG. 4B) based at least in part onthe standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 184 to calibrate orrecalibrate the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172Nmay result in the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172Nwith the respective analyzer controllers 174B through 174N outputtinganalyzed material spectra and/or predicting corresponding materialproperties in a manner substantially consistent with a plurality ofmaterial properties of the material outputted by the first spectroscopicanalyzer 172A with the first analyzer controller 174A in the firststate, for example, in a state prior to the change(s) 194 to theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, in some embodiments, the plurality ofanalyzer controllers 174B through 174N may be configured to analyze, viathe respective spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N, when in thesecond state, a selected plurality of portfolio sample(s) 183 to outputsecond-state portfolio sample spectra 198 for the selected plurality ofdifferent second-state portfolio sample(s) 196. In some embodiments, theportfolio sample(s) 183 may be the first-state portfolio sample(s) 183and/or the second-state portfolio sample(s) 196. In some embodiments,each of the second-state portfolio sample spectra 196A through 196N maybe associated with a corresponding different portfolio sample 183. Asshown in FIG. 4A, in some embodiments, the portfolio sample(s) 183 mayinclude a number of samples significantly lower than the number ofsamples of the plurality of multi-component samples 176. For example, insome embodiments, in order to calibrate or recalibrate the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N with the respective analyzercontrollers 174B through 174N after the change(s) 194 to achieve adesired level of accuracy and/or reproducibility, for example, anaccuracy and/or reproducibility substantially equal to or better thanthe level of accuracy and/or reproducibility of the first spectroscopicanalyzer 172A with the first analyzer controller 174A, in someembodiments, it may only be necessary to analyze as few as ten or fewerof the portfolio sample(s) 183, as explained in more detail herein.

As shown in FIG. 4A, in some embodiments, because it may be necessary toonly analyze substantially fewer portfolio sample(s) 183 to achieveresults substantially consistent with the results achieved prior to thechange(s) 194, a second-state time period T₂ during which the portfoliosample(s) 183 or the portfolio sample(s) 196 are analyzed may besignificantly less than the first-state time period T₁ during which themulti-component samples 176 are analyzed for the output (e.g., thedevelopment) of spectral model(s) 180 and analyzer calibration 182. Forexample, as noted above, in some embodiments, the first-state timeperiod T₁ may exceed 100 hours, as compared with the second-state timeperiod T₂, which may be less than 20 hours (e.g., less than 16 hours,less than 10 hours, less than 8 hours, less than 4 hours, or less than 2hours) for each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through172N.

Thus, in some embodiments, the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172Bthrough 172N with the respective analyzer controllers 174B through 174Nmay be configured to be calibrated or recalibrated to achievesubstantially the same accuracy and/or reproducibility of analysis asthe first spectroscopic analyzer 172A with first analyzer controller174A, while using significantly fewer samples to calibrate orrecalibrate each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172Bthrough 172N with the respective analyzer controllers 174B through 174N,as compared to the number of multi-component samples 176 used tocalibrate or recalibrate the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A with thefirst analyzer controller 174A for the development of spectral model(s)180 and analyzer calibration 182, thus requiring significantly less timefor calibration or recalibration. In some embodiments, the calibrated orrecalibrated plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172Nand/or the plurality of analyzer controllers 174B through 174N,calibrated or recalibrated in such a manner, may be capable ofgenerating substantially the same spectra following calibration orrecalibration as outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A withthe first analyzer controller 174A, which may result in improvedaccuracy and/or reproducibility by the first spectroscopic analyzer 172Aand each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N.Such accuracy and/or reproducibility may provide the ability to compareanalysis results outputted by either the first spectroscopic analyzer172A or the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N,which may result in the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A and theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N being relativelymore useful, for example, when incorporated into a manufacturing processinvolving the processing of multi-component materials received frommaterial sources, such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , for example, apetroleum refining-related process, such as an FCC process, apharmaceutical manufacturing process, or other processes involving theprocessing of materials.

As shown in FIG. 4A, in some embodiments, each of the plurality ofanalyzer controllers 174B through 174N also may be configured to compareone or more of the respective second-state portfolio sample spectra 198Athrough 198B from the portfolio samples to the first-state portfoliosample spectra 185. Based at least in part on the comparison, theplurality of analyzer controllers 174B through 174N further may beconfigured to determine for one or more of the respective second-stateportfolio sample spectra 198A through 198N, a variance 212 (e.g.,respective variances 212B through 212N) over a range of wavelengths,wavenumbers, and/or frequencies between the respective second-stateportfolio sample spectra 189A through 198N outputted by each of therespective spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N and the first-stateportfolio sample spectra 185 of the standardized analyzer spectraportfolio 184 outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A. Forexample, in some embodiments, the plurality of analyzer controllers 174Bthrough 174N may be configured to determine a difference in magnitudebetween each of the second-state portfolio sample spectra 198 and thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra 185 for each of a plurality ofwavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies over one or more ranges ofwavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies, respectively.

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of analyzer controllers 174Bthrough 174N may be configured to determine respective variances 212Bthrough 212N by determining a mean average variance, one or more ratiosof variances at respective individual wavelengths, or a combinationthereof, for a plurality of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequenciesover a range of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies,respectively. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of analyzercontrollers 174B through 174N may be configured to determine arelationship for a plurality of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/orfrequencies over the range of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/orfrequencies, respectively, between the respective second-state portfoliosample spectra 198B through 198N and the first-state portfolio samplespectra 185, and the relationship may include one or more of a ratio, anaddition, a subtraction, a multiplication, a division, one or morederivatives, or an equation.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, in some embodiments, each of the pluralityof analyzer controllers 174B through 174N still further may beconfigured to reduce the respective variance 212B through 212N (FIG. 4B)between the respective second-state portfolio sample spectra 198Bthrough 198N and the first-state portfolio sample spectra 185. Forexample, each of the plurality of analyzer controllers 174B through 174Nmay be configured to use respective analyzer portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s) 200B through 200N based at least in part on the previouslyoutputted standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 184 to reduce therespective variances 212B through 212N between the respectivesecond-state portfolio sample spectra 198B through 198N and thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra 185, so that each of the respectiveones of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172Nand/or the respective ones of the plurality of analyzer controllers 174Bthrough 174N is able to output, when in the second state following thechange(s) 194 (e.g., during initial set-up or after maintenance), aplurality of signals indicative of a plurality of material properties ofan analyzed multi-component material, such that the plurality ofmaterial properties of the multi-component material are substantiallyconsistent with a plurality of material properties of themulti-component material that were, or would be, outputted by the firstspectroscopic analyzer 172A with the first analyzer controller 174A inthe first state. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N with the respective analyzercontrollers 174B through 174N may be configured to output respectiveportfolio sample-based correction(s) 200B through 200N, which reduce orsubstantially eliminate the respective variance 212B through 212Nbetween the second-state portfolio sample spectra 198B through 198N andthe respective first-state portfolio sample spectra 185 (FIG. 4A),which, in turn, may reduce or substantially eliminate the respectivevariance between second-state multi-component material spectra 202 andfirst-state multicomponent spectra 178, for example, should the samesample be analyzed in both the first and second states.

As shown in FIG. 4B, in some embodiments, following the change(s) 194 tothe plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N and/or theplurality of analyzer controllers 174B through 174N and the calibrationor recalibration in the second state, the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers 172B through 172N may be used to analyze a plurality ofmulti-component materials. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, amanufacturing process may include a plurality of material sources forrespective multi-component materials (e.g., fluids, such as gases and/orliquids) of the manufacturing process (e.g., an FCC process and/or arelated upstream process and/or downstream process), and multi-componentmaterials associated with the manufacturing process may be diverted foranalysis by one or more of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172Bthrough 172N with the respective analyzer controllers 174B through 174N.In some embodiments, for example, as shown in FIG. 4B, themulti-component materials may be conditioned via material conditioning(e.g., as described herein) to output conditioned materials for analysis204B through 204N by the respective spectroscopic analyzers 172B through172N with the respective analyzer controllers 174B through 174N. In someembodiments, material conditioning may include one or more of filteringparticulates and/or fluid contaminants from the multi-componentmaterial, controlling the temperature of the multi-component material(e.g., reducing or increasing the temperature to be within a desiredrange of temperatures), or controlling the pressure of themulti-component material (e.g., reducing or increasing the pressure tobe within a desired range of pressures). In some embodiments, themanufacturing processes, the material sources, the materialconditioning, and/or the conditioned materials for analysis 204B through204N, may substantially correspond to the previously-discussed FCCprocess, material source(s), material conditioning, and/or theconditioned material for analysis (see, e.g., FIGS. 1-3 ).

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers172B through 172N with each of the respective analyzer controllers 174Bthrough 174N may be configured to analyze, when in the second state, themulti-component materials received from the respective material sourcesand output a material spectrum corresponding to the respectivemulti-component materials, for example, as described previously hereinwith respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 . As shown in FIG. 4B, the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N with the respective analyzercontrollers 174B through 174N also may be configured to use the secondthrough N^(th) material spectrum 202B through 202N to output respectivecorrected material spectra 206B through 206N, based at least in part onthe standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 184, the respectiveportfolio sample-based correction(s) 2003 through 200N′, for each of therespective multi-component materials. In some embodiments, each of thecorrected material spectra 206B through 206N may include one or more ofan absorption-corrected spectrum, a transmittance-corrected spectrum, atransflectance-corrected spectrum, a reflectance-corrected spectrum, oran intensity-corrected spectrum, for example, and/or a mathematicaltreatment of the material spectrum, such as, for example, a secondderivative of the material spectrum. For example, based at least in parton the respective corrected material spectra 206B through 206N, therespective analyzer controllers 174B through 174N may be configured tooutput a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of materialproperties of the respective multi-component materials, and theplurality of material properties may be substantially consistent with(e.g., substantially the same as) a plurality of material properties ofthe multi-component materials that would be outputted by the firstspectroscopic analyzer 172A with the first analyzer controller 174A.Thus, in some such embodiments, the respective corrected materialspectra 206B through 206N may result in standardized spectra, such thatthe corrected material spectra 208B through 208N have been standardizedbased at least in part on the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio184, so that the respective corrected material spectra 208B through 208Nare the substantially the same material spectra that would be outputtedby the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A with the first analyzercontroller 174A.

In some embodiments, this may render it possible to directly compare theresults of analysis by the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172Bthrough 172N with the respective analyzer controllers 174B through 174Nwith results of analysis by the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A withthe first analyzer controller 174A. In some embodiments, this may renderit possible to directly compare the results of analysis by each of theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N with each of therespective analyzer controllers 174B through 174N with one another. Inaddition, as noted above, in some embodiments, using the portfoliosample-based correction(s) 200B through 200N to calibrate or recalibrateof the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N with therespective analyzer controllers 174B through 174N to achieve thestandardization may require the analysis of significantly fewer samples(e.g., the second-state portfolio samples 198) as compared to theoriginal calibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A with firstanalyzer controller 174A during the first state. This may alsosignificantly reduce the time required to calibrate or recalibrate eachof the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N with eachof the respective analyzer controllers 174B through 174N.

Upon analysis of the multi-component materials from the materialsource(s), which may be feed(s) to one or more processing units and/oran output(s) from one or more processing units, the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N with the respective analyzercontrollers 174B through 174N may establish a plurality of correctedmaterial spectra 208B through 208N and, based at least in part on thecorrected material spectra 208B through 208N, predict a plurality ofmaterial properties associated with the multi-component materials. Insome embodiments, the corrected material spectra 208B through 208N andthe associated predicted or determined material properties may be storedin a database as respective predicted (or determined) material data 210Bthrough 210N. It is contemplated that additional material dataassociated with the multi-component materials analyzed may also beincluded in the database to supplement the predicted or determinedmaterial properties. For example, the database may define a libraryincluding material data and/or including correlations between theplurality of material spectra and the plurality of different materialproperties of the corresponding materials.

As shown in FIG. 4C, in some embodiments, the plurality of analyzercontrollers 174B through 174N may also be configured to output one ormore output signals 192B through 192N indicative of the respectivemulti-component material properties. The output signal(s) 192B through192N may be used to at least partially control a manufacturing process.For example, as shown in FIG. 4C, the output signal(s) 192B through 192Nmay be communicated to one or more FCC process controllers 24 (see alsoFIG. 1 ) configured, based at least in part on the output signal(s) 192Bthrough 192N, to output one or more processing unit control signals 30(see also FIG. 1 ) for at least partially controlling operation of oneor more material processing unit(s) 34 configured to process amulti-component material. In some embodiments, the FCC processcontroller(s) 24 also may be configured to receive one or moreprocessing parameter(s) 32 and based at least partially on the outputsignal(s) 192A through 192N and/or the processing parameter(s) 32,output the one or more processing unit control signal(s) 30 to at leastpartially control operation of the one or more material processingunit(s) 34, for example, as described herein with respect to FIGS. 1 and2 . In some examples, at least some of the output signal(s) 192A through192N may be communicated to one or more output devices 214, such as, forexample, printers, display devices, such as a computer monitor and/orportable output devices, such as a laptop computer, a smartphone, atablet computing device, a printer, etc., as will be understood by thoseskilled in the art. Such communication may be enabled by one or morecommunications links, such as a hard-wired and/or wirelesscommunications link, for example, via one or more communicationnetworks.

In some embodiments, as explained herein, using the portfoliosample-based correction(s) 200B through 200N to calibrate or recalibratethe plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N may result inthe plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N with therespective analyzer controllers 174B through 174N generating analyzedmaterial spectra and/or predicting corresponding material properties ina manner substantially consistent with a plurality of materialproperties outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 172A with thefirst analyzer controller 174A.

Although not shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, in some embodiments, theplurality of analyzer controllers 174B through 174N, based at least inpart on the respective portfolio sample-based correction(s) 200B through200N, may be configured to output one or more gain signals forcontrolling one or more analyzer sources, analyzer detectors, and/ordetector responses, such that the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers172B through 172N with the respective analyzer controllers 174B through174N, when analyzing a multi-component material, output a correctedmaterial spectrum or spectra that are standardized according to thestandardized analyzer spectra portfolio 184. Thus, in some embodiments,rather than generating a material spectrum when analyzing amulti-component material, and thereafter correcting the materialspectrum based at least in part on the variance and the portfoliosample-based correction(s) 200 developed to reduce the variance tooutput a corrected material spectrum, the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers 172B through 172N with the respective analyzer controllers174B through 174N may be configured to output a respective correctedmaterial spectrum 206B through 206N by adjusting the detector gain, forexample, without prior generation of a material spectrum, which isthereafter corrected. Rather, in some embodiments, based at least inpart on the respective variance(s) 212B through 212N, the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 172B through 172N with the plurality of analyzercontrollers 174B through 174N may be configured to adjust the gainassociated with the respective analyzer sources, detectors, and/ordetector responses, so that the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers172B through 172N with the respective analyzer controllers 174B through174N output corrected material spectra 208B through 208N that reduces orsubstantially eliminates the respective variance(s) 212B through 212N.

FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B, FIG. 5C, FIG. 5D, and FIG. 5E are a block diagram ofan example method 500 to enhance or optimize a fluid catalytic cracking(FCC) process associated with a refining operation, during the FCCprocess, according to embodiments of the disclosure. The example method500 is illustrated as a collection of blocks in a logical flow graph,which represent a sequence of operations. In the context of software,where applicable, the blocks represent computer-executable instructionsstored on one or more computer-readable storage media that, whenexecuted by one or more processors, perform the recited operations.Generally, computer-executable instructions include routines, programs,objects, components, data structures, and the like that performparticular functions or implement particular data types. The order inwhich the operations are described is not intended to be construed as alimitation, and any number of the described blocks may be combined inany order and/or in parallel to implement the method.

FIG. 5A through FIG. 5E are a block diagram of the example method 500 toenhance or optimize a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process associatedwith a refining operation, during the FCC process, according toembodiments of the disclosure. At 502 (FIG. 5A), the example method 500may include supplying hydrocarbon feedstock to an FCC processingassembly for FCC processing to produce an FCC effluent, for example, asdescribed herein.

At 504, the example process 500 may include determining whether thehydrocarbon feedstock is within a target temperature range, a targetpressure range, and/or a target flow rate, for example, as describedherein.

If, at 504, it is determined that the temperature, pressure, or targetflow rate is not within one or more of the target ranges, at 506, theexample method 500 may include adjusting the temperature, the pressure,and/or the flow rate of the hydrocarbon feedstock to be within thetarget ranges and returning to 504 to repeat the determination.

If, at 504, it is determined that the temperature, pressure, or targetflow rate are within the target ranges, at 508, the example method 500may include conditioning, via a sample conditioning assembly, a sampleof the hydrocarbon feedstock for analysis by a spectroscopic analyzer,for example, as described herein.

At 510, the example method 500 may include determining whether theconditioned hydrocarbon feedstock sample is within target parameters foranalysis. This may include determining whether water, particulates,and/or other contaminates have been removed from the conditionedhydrocarbon feedstock sample, and/or whether the conditioned sample iswithin a desired predetermined temperature range for improving theaccuracy of the analysis by the spectroscopic analyzer(s).

If, at 510, it is determined that the conditioned hydrocarbon feedstocksample is not within target parameters for analysis, the example method500, at 512, may include adjusting one or more parameters associatedwith operation of the sample conditioning assembly, such that theconditioned hydrocarbon feedstock sample is within the target parametersand returning to 510 to repeat the determination.

If, at 510, it is determined that the conditioned hydrocarbon feedstocksample is within target parameters for analysis, the example method 500,at 514, may include supplying the conditioned hydrocarbon feedstocksample to the spectroscopic analyzer(s) for analysis, for example, asdescribed herein.

The example method 500, at 516, may include analyzing, via thespectroscopic analyzer(s), the conditioned hydrocarbon feedstock sampleto predict (or determine) hydrocarbon feedstock properties (and/orparameters), for example, as described herein.

At 518 (FIG. 5B), the example method 500 may include determining whetherthe hydrocarbon feedstock properties are within desired ranges ofproperty targets for the hydrocarbon feedstock.

If, at 518, it is determined that the hydrocarbon feedstock propertiesare not within the desired ranges of the property targets for thehydrocarbon feedstock, the example method 500, at 520, may includealtering the hydrocarbon feedstock toward the target properties to bewithin the desired ranges of property targets for the hydrocarbonfeedstock and returning to 518 to repeat the determination.

If, at 518, it is determined that the hydrocarbon feedstock propertiesare within the desired ranges of the property targets for thehydrocarbon feedstock, the example method 500, at 522, may includesupplying the hydrocarbon feedstock to a riser of the FCC processingassembly, for example, as described herein.

At 524, the example method 500 may include determining whether the riseris operating within a desired range of a predetermined target risertemperature.

If, at 524, it is determined that the riser is not operating within thedesired range of the predetermined target riser temperature, the examplemethod 500, at 526, may include altering the riser temperature towardthe target riser temperature and returning to 524 to repeat thedetermination.

If, at 524, it is determined that the riser is operating within thedesired range of the predetermined target riser temperature, the examplemethod 500, at 528, may include supplying catalyst to the riser toprovide a reaction mixture including the hydrocarbon feedstock andcatalyst, for example, as described herein.

At 530 (FIG. 5C), the example method 500 may include determining whetherthe FCC reactor is operating within desired ranges of predeterminedtarget FCC reactor parameters.

If, at 530, it is determined that the FCC reactor is not operatingwithin the desired ranges of the predetermined target FCC reactorparameters, the example method 500, at 532, may include altering the FCCreactor operating parameters toward the predetermined target FCC reactorparameters and returning to 530 to repeat the determination.

If, at 530, it is determined that the FCC reactor is operating withinthe desired ranges of the predetermined target FCC reactor parameters,the example method 500, at 534, may include supplying the reactionmixture to an FCC reactor to produce FCC effluent, for example, asdescribed herein.

At 536, the example method 500 may include conditioning, via a sampleconditioning assembly, a reaction mixture sample and/or an FCC effluentsample for analysis by one or more spectroscopic analyzers. In someembodiments, the one or more spectroscopic analyzers may be calibratedto generate standardized spectral responses, for example, as describedherein.

At 538, the example method 500 may include determining whether theconditioned reaction mixture sample and/or the FCC effluent sampleis/are within desired ranges of target parameters for analysis. This mayinclude determining whether water, particulates, and other contaminateshave been removed from the conditioned reaction mixture sample and/orthe FCC effluent sample, and/or whether the conditioned sample is withina predetermined temperature range for improving the accuracy of theanalysis by the spectroscopic analyzer.

If, at 538, it is determined that the conditioned reaction mixturesample and/or the FCC effluent sample is/are not within the desiredranges of the target parameters for analysis, the example method 500, at540, may include adjusting one or more parameters associated withoperation of the sample conditioning assembly such that the conditionedreaction mixture sample and/or the FCC effluent sample is/are within thetarget parameters and returning to 538 to repeat the determination.

If, at 538, it is determined that the conditioned reaction mixturesample and/or the FCC effluent sample is/are within the desired rangesof the target parameters for analysis, the example method 500, at 542,may include supplying the conditioned reaction mixture sample and/or theFCC effluent sample to the one or more spectroscopic analyzers foranalysis, for example, as described herein.

At 544 (FIG. 5D), the example method 500 may include analyzing, via theone or more spectroscopic analyzers, the conditioned reaction mixturesample and/or the conditioned FCC effluent sample to predict (ordetermine) the reaction mixture properties (and/or parameters) and/orthe FCC effluent properties (and/or parameters), for example, asdescribed herein. In some embodiments, the one or more spectroscopicanalyzers may be calibrated to generate standardized spectral responses,for example, as described herein.

At 546, the example method may include determining whether the reactionmixture properties and/or the FCC effluent properties is/are withindesired ranges of respective property targets.

If, at 546, it is determined that the reaction mixture properties and/orthe FCC effluent properties is/are not within the desired ranges of therespective property targets, the example method 500, at 548, may includealtering one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock, the riser operatingparameters, or the FCC reactor operating parameters according todifferences between the reaction mixture properties and/or the FCCeffluent properties and the property targets, and returning to 546 torepeat the determination.

If, at 546, it is determined that the reaction mixture properties and/orthe FCC effluent properties is/are within the desired ranges of therespective property targets, the example method 500, at 550, may includesupplying the FCC effluent to one or more downstream processing units toseparate the FCC effluent into downstream products, for example, asdescribed herein.

At 552, the example method 500 may include conditioning, via a sampleconditioning assembly, one or more downstream product samples foranalysis by one or more spectroscopic analyzers, for example, asdescribed herein.

At 554 (FIG. 5E), the example method 500 may include determining whetherthe conditioned one or more downstream product samples is/are withindesired ranges of target parameters for analysis. This may includedetermining whether water, particulates, and other contaminates havebeen removed from the conditioned one or more downstream productsamples, and/or whether the conditioned samples is/are within a desiredpredetermined temperature range for improving the accuracy of theanalysis by the spectroscopic analyzer.

If, at 554, it is determined that the conditioned one or more downstreamproduct samples is/are not within the desired ranges of the targetparameters for analysis, the example method 500, at 556, may includeadjusting one or more parameters associated with operation of the sampleconditioning assembly such that the conditioned one or more downstreamproduct samples is/are within the desired ranges of the targetparameters, and returning to 554 to repeat the determination.

If, at 554, it is determined that the conditioned one or more downstreamproduct samples is/are within the desired ranges of the targetparameters for analysis, the example method 500, at 558, may includesupplying the conditioned one or more downstream product samples to theone or more spectroscopic analyzers for analysis, for example, asdescribed herein.

At 560, the example method 500 may include analyzing, via the one ormore spectroscopic analyzers, the conditioned one or more downstreamproduct samples to predict the properties (and/or parameters) of the oneor more downstream products, for example, as described herein. In someembodiments, the one or more spectroscopic analyzers may be calibratedto generate standardized spectral responses, for example, as describedherein.

At 562, the example method 500 may include determining whether theproperties of the one or more downstream products are within desiredranges of property targets.

If, at 562, it is determined that the properties of the one or moredownstream products are not within the desired ranges of the propertytargets, the example method 500, at 564, may include altering one ormore of the hydrocarbon feedstock, the riser operating parameters, theFCC reactor operating parameters, or the downstream processing unitsoperating parameters according to differences between the properties ofthe one or more downstream products and the property targets, forexample, as described herein. Thereafter, at 566, the example method mayinclude returning to 502 and continuing to alter the hydrocarbonfeedstock and/or operating parameters to drive the FCC process towardtarget properties.

If, at 562, it is determined that the properties of the one or moredownstream products are within the desired ranges of the propertytargets, the example method 500, at 566, may include returning to 502and continuing to monitor and/or control the FCC process according tothe method 500.

In some embodiments, the example method 500 may result in causing theFCC process to produce one or more of: intermediate materials having oneor more properties within a selected range of one or more targetproperties of the intermediate materials, unit materials having one ormore properties within a selected range of one or more target propertiesof the unit materials, or downstream materials having one or moreproperties within a selected range of one or more target properties ofthe downstream materials. In some embodiments, this may cause the FCCprocess to achieve material outputs that more accurately andresponsively converge on one or more of the target properties. In someembodiments, the example method may result in optimizing one or more of:(a) one or more target properties of the one or more intermediatematerials, (b) one or more target properties of the one or more unitmaterials, (c) or one or more target properties of one or moredownstream materials produced by the one or more second processingunits, thereby to optimize the FCC process to achieve material outputsthat more accurately and responsively converge on one or more of thetarget properties.

Example 1

Different hydrocarbon feedstocks will result in different yields from anFCC process. If an FCC processing unit is operating against a constraintor constraints, the FCC process may need to adjust to avoid exceedingequipment limitations. Typical process parameters or process variablesfor an FCC process may include feed rate, reactor temperature, feedpreheat, and/or pressure. Process responses from each of the processparameters or variables may be non-linear. The optimum set of conditionsto increase process and/or economic efficiency in view of unitconstraints may depending on, for example, feed quality. Table 1 belowprovides example feed properties, process conditions, equipmentconstraints, and product yields, that may be adjusted to increase oroptimize process and/or economic efficiency, for four test conditions:normal FCC process operation, new feed with multivariable optimization,new feed with only feed rate varied, and new feed with only real-timeoptimization.

TABLE 1 New Feed New Feed New Feed w/Multi- w/Only w/Only Normalvariable Rate RTO Operation Optimization Varied Varied Feed Properties/Params. API 24.6 21.8 21.8 21.8 UOP K 11.69 11.77 11.77 11.77 Concarbon(%) 0.15 0.59 0.59 0.59 Nitrogen (ppm) 1150 162 162 162 Sulfur (%) 0.340.55 0.55 0.55 1-Ring Aromatics (%) 35 29 29 29 2-Ring Aromatics (%) 3426 26 26 3-Ring Aromatics (%) 17 25 25 25 4-Ring Aromatics (%) 14 20 2020 Process Parameters Feed Rate 100 95.3 83.8 100 (% capacity) ReactorTemp. (F.) 1010 992 1006 986 Reactor Pressure (psig) 34.7 33.6 32.3 34.2Equipment Constraints Wet Gas 100 100 100 100 Compressor (%) Main AirBlower (%) 100 90 84 94 Yields Conversion (lv %) 77.55 74.33 76.83 73.59

The results in Table 1 show that the application of real-timeoptimization using spectroscopic analyzers may facilitate the FCCprocess to automatically adjust processing conditions, for example, tomaximize processing as feedstock quality changes. Without determiningfeedstock quality using spectroscopic analyzers and real-timeoptimization, the FCC process may operate at a non-optimum conditionuntil a model optimizer is run and the results implemented. In someembodiments, advanced process control and on-line material analysis byspectroscopic analyzers may be used to manipulate multiple FCCprocessing variables (e.g., one or more of the variables shown in Table1 and/or any variables and/or parameters described herein) to push theFCC processing unit against unit operational constraints, for example,to improve or maximize economic and/or processing efficiency associatedwith the FCC process. In some embodiments, on-line real-timeoptimization may be used to choose a set of operating conditions toimprove or maximize economic and/or processing efficiency.

Example 2

FIG. 6A is a table illustrating spectroscopic analysis data associatedwith an example FCC process including samples of hydrotreater chargesand products, and FCC feeds used to control relative amounts of eachhydrocarbon class shown in weight percent, according to embodiments ofthe disclosure. FIG. 6B is a table illustrating minimum and maximumamounts for a calibration set shown in weight percent for examplehydrocarbon classes related to the data shown in FIG. 6A, according toembodiments of the disclosure. Two hundred-fifty samples, includinghydrotreater charges and products, and FCC feeds were used to create aPLS model for predicting weight percent for each hydrocarbon class. Thesamples were analyzed using an on-line spectroscopic analyzer forexample, as described herein, according to some embodiments. Wavelengthsranging from about 1140 nanometers to about 2300 nanometers, and/or oneor more bands within the range were chosen for each group, and a resultssummary appears in FIG. 6B. In some embodiments, wavelengths fornear-infrared (NIR) analysis may range from about 780 nanometers toabout 2500 nanometers, and/or one or more wavelength bands within therange may be analyzed; wavenumbers for Raman analysis may range fromabout 200 wavenumbers (cm⁻¹) to about 3700 wavenumbers (cm⁻¹), and/orone or more wavenumber bands within the range may be analyzed;wavenumbers for mid-infrared (MIR) analysis may range from about 200wavenumbers (cm⁻¹) to about 4000 wavenumbers (cm⁻¹), and/or one or morewavenumber bands within the range may be analyzed; and wavelengths forcombination NIR analysis and MIR analysis may range from about 780nanometers (about 12820 wavenumbers) to about 25000 nanometers (about400 wavenumbers), and/or one or more wavelength bands within the rangemay be analyzed.

Example 3

Example 3 is illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 . FIG. 7 shows examplenear-infrared (NIR) absorption spectra for example FCC hydrocarbon feedsamples, according to embodiments of the disclosure. As describedherein, in some embodiments, the spectra may be collected on-line, forexample, during the FCC process, and the resulting spectra may be usedto predict or determine one or more hydrocarbon feed properties and/orone or more hydrocarbon feed parameters, which may be used to monitorand/or at least partially control the FCC process during the FCC process(e.g., in real-time), for example, as described herein. FIG. 8illustrates example NIR absorption second derivative spectra derivedfrom the example NIR absorption spectra shown in FIG. 7 , according toembodiments of the disclosure. In some embodiments, the secondderivative spectra may be used to predict or determine one or morehydrocarbon feed properties and/or one or more hydrocarbon feedparameters, which may be used to monitor and/or at least partiallycontrol the FCC process during the FCC process (e.g., in real-time), forexample, as described herein. First derivative spectra and/or higherorder derivative spectra may provide potential advantages whenpredicting or determining properties and/or parameters, as compared tospectra, such as the example spectra shown in FIG. 7 .

Example 4

Example 4 is illustrated in FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B. FIG. 9A is a tableshowing NIR regression statistics for each of a plurality of examplematerial properties and/or material parameters, according to embodimentsof the disclosure. FIG. 9B is a table showing NIR regression statisticsfor each of a plurality of example properties, including hydrocarbongroup types, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

Example 5

Example 5 is illustrated in FIG. 10 , FIG. 11 , and FIG. 12 . FIG. 10 isa correlation plot showing predicted or determined sulfur content of anexample hydrocarbon feed based on analysis by an on-line NIRspectroscopic analyzer versus results obtained from a laboratoryanalysis using traditional laboratory analysis methods, according toembodiments of the disclosure. The laboratory analysis may include oneor more of the laboratory analysis techniques described herein, as wellas others, including primary test methods. FIG. 11 is a correlation plotshowing predicted or determined API gravity of an example hydrocarbonfeed based on analysis by an on-line NIR spectroscopic analyzer versusresults obtained from a laboratory analysis, according to embodiments ofthe disclosure. FIG. 12 is a correlation plot showing predicted ordetermined percent coker gas oil of an example hydrocarbon feed based onanalysis by an on-line NIR spectroscopic analyzer versus resultsobtained from a laboratory analysis, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. FIGS. 10-12 show strong respective correlations between thepredicted or determined results based on spectroscopic analyzer analysisand processing and the laboratory analysis for the example threematerial properties and/or material parameters associated with thehydrocarbon feed samples shown in FIGS. 10-12 .

FIGS. 10-12 show that hydrocarbon feed properties and/or parameters maybe predicted or determined by hydrocarbon group types, which may affectFCC processes and/or products. The properties and/or parameters may berelated to the weighting of certain components in the composition of thehydrocarbon feed, such as, for example, mono-aromatics, di-aromatics,tri-aromatics, benzothiophenes, and/or di-benzothiophenes. One or moreof the hydrocarbon group types may be determined by the techniquesillustrated by the Tables shown in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, and/or fromchanges in specific spectroscopic analyzer wavelength ranges, wavenumberranges, and/or frequency ranges, such as, for example, in specificinfrared absorption bands. In some embodiments, the content of thesecomponents in the hydrocarbon feed may be correlated to FCC productproperties according to the methods described herein, and this may beused for monitoring, controlling, and/or optimizing operation of one ormore of the FCC processing units and/or related FCC processes.

Example 6

Example 6 is illustrated by FIG. 13A, FIG. 13B, FIG. 13C, FIG. 14A, FIG.14B, FIG. 14C, and FIG. 14 . FIG. 13A is a graph showing examplehydrocarbon feed sulfur content determined off-line over time. FIG. 13Bis a graph showing example hydrocarbon feed API gravity determinedoff-line over time. FIG. 13C is a graph showing example hydrocarbon feedConradson carbon determined off-line over time. FIG. 14A is a graphshowing example gasoline conversions determined off-line over time. FIG.14B is a graph showing example gasoline yields determined off-line overtime. FIG. 14C is a graph showing example light cycle oil (LCO) yieldsdetermined off-line over time. FIG. 14D is a graph showing exampleslurry yields determined off-line over time.

FIG. 13A through FIG. 13C, and FIG. 14A through FIG. 14D are graphs ofFCC processing unit monitoring plots that track hydrocarbon feedstockquality and FCC product yields. The graphs, as shown, are not based oninformation obtained during the FCC process, and thus, the informationmay not be used to control the FCC process and/or the FCC processingunits while the FCC process is proceeding. Rather, the graphs merelyshow weekly or monthly trends, and thus, they do not facilitate monitor,control, and/or optimization of operation of one or more of the FCCprocessing units and/or related FCC processes.

In some embodiments, the use of one or more spectroscopic analyzers asdescribed herein may facilitate collection of such data on-line, forexample, during an associated FCC process to provide real-time data,which may be used as described herein to monitor, control, and/oroptimize operation of one or more of the FCC processing units and/orrelated FCC processes, for example, without waiting for laboratoryanalysis, which may delay appropriate process and/or processing unitoperation changes.

It should be appreciated that at least some subject matter presentedherein may be implemented as a computer process, a computer-controlledapparatus, a computing system, or an article of manufacture, such as acomputer-readable storage medium. While the subject matter describedherein is presented in the general context of program modules thatexecute on one or more computing devices, those skilled in the art willrecognize that other implementations may be performed in combinationwith other types of program modules. Generally, program modules includeroutines, programs, components, data structures, and other types ofstructures that perform particular tasks or implement particularabstract data types.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that aspects of thesubject matter described herein may be practiced on or in conjunctionwith other computer system configurations beyond those described herein,including multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmableconsumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, handheldcomputers, mobile telephone devices, tablet computing devices,special-purposed hardware devices, network appliances, and the like.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of an example FCC process controller 24configured to at least partially control an FCC processing assembly 10,according to embodiments of the disclosure, for example, as describedherein. The FCC process controller 24 may include one or moreprocessor(s) 1500 configured to execute certain operational aspectsassociated with implementing certain systems and methods describedherein. The processor(s) 1500 may communicate with a memory 1502. Theprocessor(s) 1500 may be implemented and operated using appropriatehardware, software, firmware, or combinations thereof. Software orfirmware implementations may include computer-executable ormachine-executable instructions written in any suitable programminglanguage to perform the various functions described. In some examples,instructions associated with a function block language may be stored inthe memory 1502 and executed by the processor(s) 1500.

The memory 1502 may be used to store program instructions that areloadable and executable by the processor(s) 1500, as well as to storedata generated during the execution of these programs. Depending on theconfiguration and type of the FCC process controller 24, the memory 1502may be volatile (such as random access memory (RAM)) and/or non-volatile(such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.). In some examples,the memory devices may include additional removable storage 1504 and/ornon-removable storage 1506 including, but not limited to, magneticstorage, optical disks, and/or tape storage. The disk drives and theirassociated computer-readable media may provide non-volatile storage ofcomputer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, andother data for the devices. In some implementations, the memory 1502 mayinclude multiple different types of memory, such as static random accessmemory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or ROM.

The memory 1502, the removable storage 1504, and the non-removablestorage 1506 are all examples of computer-readable storage media. Forexample, computer-readable storage media may include volatile andnon-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in anymethod or technology for storage of information such ascomputer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules orother data. Additional types of computer storage media that may bepresent may include, but are not limited to, programmable random accessmemory (PRAM), SRAM, DRAM, RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmableread-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology,compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile discs (DVD) orother optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, magnetic diskstorage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which maybe used to store the desired information and which may be accessed bythe devices. Combinations of any of the above should also be includedwithin the scope of computer-readable media.

The FCC process controller 24 may also include one or more communicationconnection(s) 1508 that may facilitate a control device (not shown) tocommunicate with devices or equipment capable of communicating with theFCC process controller 24. The FCC process controller 24 may alsoinclude a computer system (not shown). Connections may also beestablished via various data communication channels or ports, such asUSB or COM ports to receive cables connecting the FCC process controller24 to various other devices on a network. In some examples, the FCCprocess controller 24 may include Ethernet drivers that enable the FCCprocess controller 24 to communicate with other devices on the network.According to various examples, communication connections 1508 may beestablished via a wired and/or wireless connection on the network.

The FCC process controller 24 may also include one or more input devices1510, such as a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, gesture inputdevice, and/or touch input device. It may further include one or moreoutput devices 1512, such as a display, printer, and/or speakers. Insome examples, computer-readable communication media may includecomputer-readable instructions, program modules, or other datatransmitted within a data signal, such as a carrier wave or othertransmission. As used herein, however, computer-readable storage mediamay not include computer-readable communication media.

Turning to the contents of the memory 1502, the memory 1502 may include,but is not limited to, an operating system (OS) 1514 and one or moreapplication programs or services for implementing the features andembodiments disclosed herein. Such applications or services may includeremote terminal units 1516 for executing certain systems and methods forcontrolling operation of the FCC processing assembly 10 (e.g., semi- orfully-autonomously controlling operation of the FCC processing assembly10), for example, upon receipt of one or more control signals generatedby the FCC process controller 24. In some embodiments, one or moreremote terminal unit(s) 1516 may be located in the vicinity of the FCCprocessing assembly 10. The remote terminal unit(s) 1516 may reside inthe memory 1502 or may be independent of the FCC process controller 24.In some examples, the remote terminal unit(s) 1516 may be implemented bysoftware that may be provided in configurable control block language andmay be stored in non-volatile memory. When executed by the processor(s)1500, the remote terminal unit(s) 1516 may implement the variousfunctionalities and features associated with the FCC process controller24 described herein.

As desired, embodiments of the disclosure may include an FCC processcontroller 24 with more or fewer components than are illustrated in FIG.15 . Additionally, certain components of the example FCC processcontroller 24 shown in FIG. 15 may be combined in various embodiments ofthe disclosure. The FCC process controller 24 of FIG. 15 is provided byway of example only.

References are made to block diagrams of systems, methods, apparatuses,and computer program products according to example embodiments. It willbe understood that at least some of the blocks of the block diagrams,and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams, may be implemented atleast partially by computer program instructions. These computer programinstructions may be loaded onto a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, special purpose hardware-based computer, or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such thatthe instructions which execute on the computer or other programmabledata processing apparatus create means for implementing thefunctionality of at least some of the blocks of the block diagrams, orcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams discussed.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in anon-transitory computer-readable memory that can direct a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readablememory produce an article of manufacture including instruction meansthat implement the function specified in the block or blocks. Thecomputer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that theinstructions that execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus provide task, acts, actions, or operations for implementingthe functions specified in the block or blocks.

One or more components of the systems and one or more elements of themethods described herein may be implemented through an applicationprogram running on an operating system of a computer. They may also bepracticed with other computer system configurations, including hand-helddevices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmableconsumer electronics, mini-computers, mainframe computers, and the like.

Application programs that are components of the systems and methodsdescribed herein may include routines, programs, components, datastructures, etc. that may implement certain abstract data types andperform certain tasks or actions. In a distributed computingenvironment, the application program (in whole or in part) may belocated in local memory or in other storage. In addition, oralternatively, the application program (in whole or in part) may belocated in remote memory or in storage to allow for circumstances wheretasks can be performed by remote processing devices linked through acommunications network.

This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 18/052,780, filed Nov. 4, 2022, titled “ASSEMBLIESAND METHODS FOR ENHANCING FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING (FCC) PROCESSESDURING THE FCC PROCESS USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No.17/652,431, filed Feb. 24, 2022, titled “METHODS AND ASSEMBLIES FORDETERMINING AND USING STANDARDIZED SPECTRAL RESPONSES FOR CALIBRATION OFSPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” which claims priority to and the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 63/153,452, filed Feb. 25, 2021, titled“METHODS AND ASSEMBLIES FOR DETERMINING AND USING STANDARDIZED SPECTRALRESPONSES FOR CALIBRATION OF SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” and U.S.Provisional Application No. 63/268,456, filed Feb. 24, 2022, titled“ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING CONTROL OF FLUID CATALYTICCRACKING (FCC) PROCESSES USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” the disclosuresof which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties; andfurther claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 63/268,456, filed Feb. 24, 2022, titled “ASSEMBLIES ANDMETHODS FOR ENHANCING CONTROL OF FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING (FCC)PROCESSES USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS”; U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 63/268,827, filed Mar. 3, 2022, titled “ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FOROPTIMIZING FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING (FCC) PROCESSES DURING THE FCCPROCESS USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS”; and U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 63/268,875, filed Mar. 4, 2022, titled “ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FORENHANCING CONTROL OF HYDROTREATING AND FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING (FCC)PROCESSES USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” the disclosures of all threeof which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Having now described some illustrative embodiments of the disclosure, itshould be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing ismerely illustrative and not limiting, having been presented by way ofexample only. Numerous modifications and other embodiments are withinthe scope of one of ordinary skill in the art and are contemplated asfalling within the scope of the disclosure. In particular, although manyof the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of methodacts or system elements, it should be understood that those acts andthose elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the sameobjectives. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that theparameters and configurations described herein are exemplary and thatactual parameters and/or configurations will depend on the specificapplication in which the systems, methods, and/or aspects or techniquesof the disclosure are used. Those skilled in the art should alsorecognize or be able to ascertain, using no more than routineexperimentation, equivalents to the specific embodiments of thedisclosure. It is, therefore, to be understood that the embodimentsdescribed herein are presented by way of example only and that, withinthe scope of any appended claims and equivalents thereto, the disclosuremay be practiced other than as specifically described.

Furthermore, the scope of the present disclosure shall be construed tocover various modifications, combinations, additions, alterations, etc.,above and to the above-described embodiments, which shall be consideredto be within the scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, various featuresand characteristics as discussed herein may be selectively interchangedand applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiment, andnumerous variations, modifications, and additions further may be madethereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentdisclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method to enhance a fluid catalytic cracking(FCC) process associated with a refining operation, during the FCCprocess, the method comprising: supplying a hydrocarbon feedstock to oneor more first processing units associated with the refining operation,the hydrocarbon feedstock having one or more hydrocarbon feedstockparameters and the one or more first processing units comprising an FCCprocessing unit; operating the one or more first processing units,thereby to produce one or more corresponding unit materials, the one ormore corresponding unit materials comprising one or more of intermediatematerials or unit product materials comprising FCC effluent; analyzingthe hydrocarbon feedstock sample via a first spectroscopic analyzer,thereby to provide hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra; analyzing theunit material sample via one or more of the first spectroscopic analyzeror a second spectroscopic analyzer, thereby to provide unit materialsample spectra, the one or more of the first spectroscopic analyzer orthe second spectroscopic analyzer being calibrated to generatestandardized spectral responses; predicting one or more hydrocarbonfeedstock sample properties associated with the hydrocarbon feedstocksample based at least in part on the hydrocarbon feedstock samplespectra; predicting one or more unit material sample propertiesassociated with the unit material sample based at least in part on theunit material sample spectra; and prescriptively controlling, during theFCC process, via one or more FCC process controllers based at least inpart on the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters, the one ormore hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties, and the one or more unitmaterial sample properties, one or more of: (i) the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock parameters associated with the hydrocarbonfeedstock supplied to the one or more first processing units, (ii) oneor more intermediates properties associated with the intermediatematerials produced by one or more of the first processing units, (iii)operation of the one or more first processing units, one or more unitmaterials properties associated with the one or more unit materials, or(iv) operation of one or more second processing units positioneddownstream relative to the one or more first processing units, so thatthe prescriptively controlling during the FCC process causes the FCCprocess to produce one or more of: (a) one or more intermediatematerials each having one or more properties within a selected range ofone or more target properties of the one or more intermediate materials,(b) one or more unit materials each having one or more properties withina selected range of one or more target properties of the one or moreunit materials, or (c) one or more downstream materials each having oneor more properties within a selected range of one or more targetproperties of the one or more downstream materials, thereby to cause theFCC process to achieve material outputs that more accurately andresponsively converge on one or more of the target properties.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, the method further comprising one or more of: (i)conditioning a hydrocarbon feedstock sample to one or more of filter thehydrocarbon feedstock sample, change a temperature of the hydrocarbonfeedstock sample, or degas the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, or (ii)conditioning a unit material sample to one or more of filter the unitmaterial sample, change a temperature of the unit material sample,dilute the unit material sample in solvent, or degas the unit materialsample, wherein one or more of: (i) conditioning the hydrocarbonfeedstock sample comprises directing the hydrocarbon feedstock sample toa sample conditioning assembly configured to one or more of: (a) controla sample temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample to maintain ahydrocarbon feedstock sample temperature within a first preselectedtemperature range, (b) remove particulates from the hydrocarbonfeedstock sample, or (c) degas the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, or (ii)conditioning the unit material sample comprises directing the unitmaterial sample to a sample conditioning assembly configured to one ormore of: (a) control a unit material sample temperature of the unitmaterial sample, thereby to maintain a unit material sample temperaturewithin a second preselected temperature range, (b) remove particulatesfrom the unit sample material, (c) dilute the unit material sample insolvent, or (d) degas the unit material sample.
 3. The method of claim1, wherein: analyzing the unit material sample via one or more of thefirst spectroscopic analyzer or the second spectroscopic analyzercomprises analyzing the unit material sample via the secondspectroscopic analyzer, and the second spectroscopic analyzer generatesspectral responses standardized with respect to the first spectroscopicanalyzer.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first spectroscopicanalyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer generate standardizedspectral responses such that each of the first spectroscopic analyzerand the second spectroscopic analyzer output a respective correctedmaterial spectrum, including a plurality of signals indicative of aplurality of material properties of an analyzed material based at leastin part on the corrected material spectrum, and such that the pluralityof material properties of the analyzed material outputted by the firstspectroscopic analyzer are substantially consistent with a plurality ofmaterial properties of the analyzed material outputted by the secondspectroscopic analyzer.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein: the FCCprocessing unit comprises a reactor positioned to receive thehydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalyticcracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, and themethod further comprises analyzing, via one or more of the firstspectroscopic analyzer or the second spectroscopic analyzer, the FCCeffluent at an outlet of the reactor.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinprescriptively controlling operation of the one or more first processingunits comprises controlling one or more operating parameters of the oneor more first processing units, wherein the one or more feedstockparameters associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the oneor more first processing units comprises one or more of API gravity, UOPK factor, distillation points, coker gas oil content, carbon residuecontent, nitrogen content, sulfur content, catalyst oil ratio, saturatescontent, thiophene content, single-ring aromatics content, dual-ringaromatics content, triple-ring aromatics content, or quad-ring aromaticscontent, and wherein the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sampleproperties and the one or more unit material sample properties comprisesa content ratio indicative of relative amounts of one or morehydrocarbon classes present in one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstocksample or the unit material sample.
 7. The method of claim 6, whereincontrolling the one or more operating parameters of the one or morefirst processing units comprises controlling the one or more operatingparameters against operating constraints associated with the one or morefirst processing units.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein: the FCCprocessing unit comprises a reactor positioned to receive thehydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalyticcracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, thehydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture; andthe method further comprises analyzing, via one or more spectroscopicanalyzers, a reaction mixture sample taken from one or more locations ofthe reactor, the one or more spectroscopic analyzers calibrated, so asto generate standardized spectral responses.
 9. The method of claim 8,wherein analyzing the reaction mixture sample taken from the one or morelocations of the reactor comprises analyzing the reaction mixture sampletaken from the one or more locations of the reactor via respectivespectroscopic analyzers, the respective spectroscopic analyzerscalibrated so as to generate standardized spectral responses.
 10. Themethod of claim 8, wherein the FCC processing unit comprises a riserassociated with the reactor, and the method further comprises analyzing,via one of more spectroscopic analyzers, two or more reaction mixturesamples taken from two or more different points along a height of theriser, the one or more spectroscopic analyzers calibrated so as togenerate standardized spectral responses.
 11. The method of claim 8,wherein the FCC processing unit comprises a riser associated with thereactor, and the method further comprises analyzing, via the secondspectroscopic analyzer, a reaction mixture sample at an outlet of theriser.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein: the FCC processing unitcomprises: a reactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock anda catalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbonfeedstock into the FCC effluent, the hydrocarbon feedstock and thecatalyst providing a reaction mixture, and a riser associated with thereactor, and the method further comprises: analyzing, via aspectroscopic analyzer, a reaction mixture sample at an outlet of theriser, and analyzing, via the second spectroscopic analyzer, the FCCeffluent at an outlet of the reactor, the analyzing the reaction mixturesample at the outlet of the riser and the analyzing the FCC effluent atthe outlet of the reactor occurring substantially concurrently.
 13. Themethod of claim 1, wherein: the FCC processing unit comprises a reactorpositioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, therebyto promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCCeffluent, the hydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing areaction mixture, and the method further comprises analyzing, via one ormore spectroscopic analyzers, two or more reaction mixture samples takenfrom two or more different locations of a cross section of the riser,the one or more spectroscopic analyzers calibrated so as to generatestandardized spectral responses.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein: theFCC processing unit comprises: a reactor positioned to receive thehydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalyticcracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, thehydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture; anda catalyst stripper bed associated with the reactor and positioned toreceive at least a portion of the catalyst after the catalytic cracking;and the method further comprises analyzing, via one or morespectroscopic analyzers, the at least a portion of the catalyst.
 15. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the prescriptively controlling comprisescontrolling one or more process parameters, the one or more processparameters comprising one or more of: (i) the one or more hydrocarbonfeedstock parameters associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock, (ii) arate of supply of the hydrocarbon feedstock to the one or more firstprocessing units, (iii) a pressure of the hydrocarbon feedstock suppliedto the one or more first processing units, (iv) a preheating temperatureof the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or more firstprocessing units, (v) a reactor temperature in a reactor of the one ormore first processing units, (vi) a reactor pressure associated with areaction mixture in the reactor, the reaction mixture comprising thehydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst to promote catalytic cracking thehydrocarbon feedstock, (vii) the one or more unit materials propertiesassociated with the one or more unit materials produced by the one ormore first processing units, or (viii) one or more downstream propertiesassociated with the one or more downstream materials produced by the oneor more second processing units.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein theone or more unit materials properties associated with the one or moreunit materials comprises one or more of an amount of butane freegasoline, an amount of total butane, an amount of dry gas, an amount ofcoke, an amount of gasoline, octane rating, an amount of light fuel oil,an amount of heavy fuel oil, an amount of hydrogen sulfide, an amount ofsulfur in light fuel oil, or an aniline point of light fuel oil, whereinthe analyzing the unit material sample comprises analyzing the unitmaterial sample via a second spectroscopic analyzer, and wherein one ormore of the first spectroscopic analyzer or the second spectroscopicanalyzer comprises: one or more of one or more near-infrared (NIR)spectroscopic analyzers, one or more mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectroscopicanalyzers, one or more combined NIR and mid-IR spectroscopic analyzers,or one or more Raman spectroscopic analyzers.
 16. The method of claim 1,wherein the prescriptively controlling comprises operating an analyticalcracking model configured to improve an accuracy of one or more of: (i)predicting the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters, (ii)predicting the one or more intermediates properties associated with theintermediate materials produced by the one or more first processingunits, (iii) controlling the one or more hydrocarbon feedstockparameters of the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or morefirst processing units, (iv) controlling the one or more propertiesassociated with the intermediate materials produced by the one or morefirst processing units, (v) controlling the one or more effluentproperties associated with FCC effluent produced by the one or morefirst processing units, (vi) the one or more target properties of theunit materials produced by one or more of the first processing units, or(vii) the one or more target properties of the downstream materialsproduced by one or more of the second processing units.
 17. The methodof claim 16, wherein the analytical cracking model comprises amachine-learning-trained model, and the method further comprises: (a)supplying, to the analytical cracking model, catalytic crackingprocessing data related to one or more of: (i) material data comprisingone or more of: feedstock data indicative of one or more hydrocarbonfeedstock properties associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock, unitmaterial data indicative of one or more unit material propertiesassociated with the one or more unit materials, or downstream materialdata indicative of one or more downstream material properties associatedwith one or more downstream materials produced by the one or more secondprocessing units, or (ii) processing assembly data comprising one ormore of: first processing unit data indicative of one or more operatingparameters associated with operation of the one or more first processingunits, second processing unit data indicative of one or more operatingparameters associated with operation of the one or more secondprocessing units, or conditioning assembly data indicative of operationof a sample conditioning assembly configured to one or more of control asample temperature of a material sample, remove particulates from thematerial sample, dilute the material sample in solvent, or degas thematerial sample, and (b) prescriptively controlling, based at least inpart on the catalytic cracking processing data, one or more of: (i) oneor more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters associated with the hydrocarbonfeedstock, (ii) one or more first operating parameters associated withoperation of the one or more first processing units, (iii) the one ormore unit material properties associated with the one or more unitmaterials, (iv) the one or more intermediates properties associated withthe one or more intermediate materials, (v) one or more second operatingparameters associated with operation of the one or more secondprocessing units positioned downstream relative to the one or more firstprocessing units, (vi) one or more downstream properties associated withthe one or more downstream materials produced by the one or more secondprocessing units, or (vii) one or more sample conditioning assemblyoperating parameters associated with operation of a sample conditioningassembly.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising updating theanalytical cracking model based at least in part on catalytic crackingprocessing data, and wherein the analytical cracking model comprises oneor more cracking algorithms configured to: (i) determine, based at leastin part on the catalytic cracking data, one or more target properties ofthe hydrocarbon feedstock, the one or more target properties of the oneor more unit materials, or the one or more target properties of the oneor more downstream materials, (ii) prescriptively control operation ofone or more of the first processing units or the one or more secondprocessing units, thereby to produce one or more of unit materialshaving unit material properties within a first predetermined range oftarget unit material properties for the unit materials or one or more ofdownstream materials having downstream material properties within asecond predetermined range of target material properties for thedownstream materials, (iii) determine one or more of actual unitmaterial properties for the unit materials produced by the one or morefirst processing units or one or more of actual downstream materialproperties for the downstream materials produced by the one or moresecond processing units, (iv) determine one or more of unit materialdifferences between the actual unit material properties and the targetunit material properties or downstream material differences between theactual downstream material properties and the target downstream materialproperties, and (v) change, based at least in part on one or more of theunit material differences or the downstream material differences, theone or more cracking algorithms, thereby to reduce the one or more ofthe unit material differences or the downstream material differences.19. The method of claim 18, wherein the prescriptively controllingcomprises one or more of: (i) generating, based at least in part on thetarget unit material properties, a first processing unit control signalconfigured to control at least one first processing parameter associatedwith operation of the one or more first processing units to produce oneor more unit materials having unit material properties within the firstpreselected range of the target unit material properties, or (ii)generating, based at least in part on the target downstream materialproperties, a second processing unit control signal configured tocontrol at least one second processing parameter associated withoperation of the one or more second processing units to produce one ormore downstream materials having downstream material properties withinthe second preselected range of the target downstream materialproperties.
 20. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of: (i)predicting the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample propertiescomprises mathematically manipulating a feedstock spectra signalindicative of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra, thereby toprovide a manipulated feedstock signal and communicating the manipulatedfeedstock signal an analytical property model configured to predict,based at least in part on the manipulated feedstock signal, the one ormore hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties, or (ii) predicting the oneor more unit material sample properties comprises mathematicallymanipulating a unit material spectra signal indicative of the unitmaterial sample spectra, thereby to provide a manipulated unit materialsignal and communicating the manipulated unit material signal to ananalytical property model configured to predict, based at least in parton the manipulated unit material signal, the one or more unit materialsample properties.
 21. The method of claim 1, wherein: the FCCprocessing unit comprises a reactor positioned to receive thehydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalyticcracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, thehydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture, andthe method further comprises analyzing, via one or more spectroscopicanalyzers, reaction mixture samples taken from one or more locations ofthe reactor, thereby to obtain unit material samples of one or more ofcatalyst stripper vapor, reactor dilute vapor, riser vapor, or reactoreffluent to determine one or more of respective catalyst stripper vaporyield, reactor dilute vapor yield, riser vapor yield, or reactoreffluent yield.
 22. A fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) control assembly toenhance a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process associated with arefining operation, during the FCC process, the FCC control assemblycomprising: (i) a first spectroscopic analyzer positioned to: receiveon-line a hydrocarbon feedstock sample of a hydrocarbon feedstockpositioned to be supplied to one or more first processing unitsassociated with the refining operation, the hydrocarbon feedstock havingone or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters and the one or more firstprocessing units comprising an FCC processing unit, and analyze thehydrocarbon feedstock sample, thereby to provide hydrocarbon feedstocksample spectra; (ii) a second spectroscopic analyzer positioned to:receive on-line a unit material sample of one more unit materialsproduced by the one or more first processing units, the one or more unitmaterials comprising one or more of intermediate materials or unitproduct materials comprising FCC effluent, the first spectroscopicanalyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer calibrated so as togenerate standardized spectral responses, and analyze the unit materialsample to provide unit material sample spectra; and (iii) an FCC processcontroller in communication with the first spectroscopic analyzer andthe second spectroscopic analyzer, the FCC process controller configuredto: predict one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample propertiesassociated with the hydrocarbon feedstock sample based at least in parton the hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra, predict one or more unitmaterial sample properties associated with the unit material samplebased at least in part on the unit material sample spectra, andprescriptively control, during the FCC process, based at least in parton the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters, the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock sample properties, and the one or more unitmaterial sample properties, one or more of: (a) the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock parameters associated with the hydrocarbonfeedstock supplied to the one or more first processing units, (b) one ormore intermediates properties associated with the intermediate materialsproduced by one or more of the first processing units, (c) operation ofthe one or more first processing units, (d) one or more unit materialsproperties associated with the one or more unit materials, or (e)operation of one or more second processing units positioned downstreamrelative to the one or more first processing units, so that theprescriptively controlling during the FCC process causes the FCC processto produce one or more of: (aa) one or more intermediate materials eachhaving one or more properties within a selected range of one or moretarget properties of the one or more intermediate materials, (bb) one ormore unit materials each having one or more properties within a selectedrange of one or more target properties of the one or more unitmaterials, or (cc) one or more downstream materials each having one ormore properties within a selected range of one or more target propertiesof the one or more downstream materials, thereby to cause the FCCprocess to achieve material outputs that more accurately andresponsively converge on one or more of the target properties.
 23. TheFCC control assembly of claim 22, further comprising a sampleconditioning assembly positioned to one or more of: (i) condition thehydrocarbon feedstock sample, prior to being supplied to the firstspectroscopic analyzer, to one or more of filter the hydrocarbonfeedstock sample, change a temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstocksample, or degas the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, or (ii) condition theunit material sample, prior to being supplied to the secondspectroscopic analyzer, to one or more of (a) filter the unit materialsample, (b) change a temperature of the unit material sample, (c) dilutethe unit material sample in solvent, or (d) degas the unit materialsample; wherein the sample conditioning assembly comprises one or moreof: (i) one or more filters comprising filter media positioned to removeone or more of water, particulates, or other contaminants from one ormore of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample;(ii) a temperature control unit positioned to receive the one or more ofthe hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample and atemperature of the one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample orthe unit material sample to provide a temperature-adjusted sample streamof the one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unitmaterial sample; or (iii) a degassing unit positioned to degas the oneor more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sampleto provide a degassed sample stream of the one or more of thehydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample.
 24. The FCCcontrol assembly of claim 22, wherein the first spectroscopic analyzerand the second spectroscopic analyzer generate standardized spectralresponses such that each of the first spectroscopic analyzer and thesecond spectroscopic analyzer output a respective corrected materialspectrum, including a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality ofmaterial properties of an analyzed material based at least in part onthe corrected material spectrum, and such that the plurality of materialproperties of the analyzed material outputted by the first spectroscopicanalyzer are substantially consistent with a plurality of materialproperties of the analyzed material outputted by the secondspectroscopic analyzer.
 25. The FCC control assembly of claim 24,wherein the FCC processing unit comprises a reactor positioned toreceive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promotecatalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent,wherein the second spectroscopic analyzer is configured to analyze theFCC effluent at an outlet of the reactor, wherein the FCC processcontroller is configured to prescriptively control during the FCCprocess control one or more operating parameters of the one or morefirst processing units, and wherein the FCC process controller isconfigured to prescriptively control, during the FCC process control,one or more operating parameters of the one or more first processingunits against operating constraints associated with the one or morefirst processing units.
 26. The FCC control assembly of claim 22,wherein: the FCC processing unit comprises a reactor positioned toreceive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promotecatalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent,the hydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture;and one or more of (i) the second spectroscopic analyzer or (ii) one ormore additional spectroscopic analyzers, is configured to analyze areaction mixture sample taken from one or more locations of the reactor.27. The FCC control assembly of claim 22, wherein: the FCC processingunit comprises: a reactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbonfeedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of thehydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, the hydrocarbon feedstockand the catalyst providing a reaction mixture, and a riser associatedwith the reactor, and wherein the FCC control assembly comprising aspectroscopic analyzer configured to analyze a reaction mixture sampleat an outlet of the riser, and wherein the second spectroscopic analyzeris configured to analyze the FCC effluent at an outlet of the reactor,the reaction mixture sample at the outlet of the riser and the FCCeffluent at the outlet of the reactor analyzed substantially duringconcurrent periods of time.
 28. The FCC control assembly of claim 22,wherein: the FCC processing unit comprises a reactor positioned toreceive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst to promote catalyticcracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, thehydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture, andthe FCC control assembly comprises one or more spectroscopic analyzersconfigured to analyze two or more reaction mixture samples taken fromtwo or more different locations of a cross section of the riser, the oneor more spectroscopic analyzers being calibrated to generatestandardized spectral responses.
 29. The FCC control assembly of claim22, wherein: the FCC processing unit comprises: a reactor positioned toreceive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promotecatalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent,the hydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture,and a riser associated with the reactor; and the FCC control assemblyfurther comprises a third spectroscopic analyzer, one or more of thesecond spectroscopic analyzer or the third spectroscopic analyzer beingconfigured to analyze a reaction mixture sample taken from an inlet ofthe riser.
 30. The FCC control assembly of claim 22, wherein: the FCCprocessing unit comprises: a reactor positioned to receive thehydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalyticcracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, thehydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture, anda catalyst stripper bed associated with the reactor and positioned toreceive at least a portion of the catalyst after the catalytic cracking;and one of the first spectroscopic analyzer, the second spectroscopicanalyzer, or an additional spectroscopic analyzer is configured toanalyze the at least a portion of the catalyst.
 31. The FCC controlassembly of claim 22, wherein the prescriptively controlling comprisescontrolling one or more process parameters, the one or more processparameters comprising one or more of: (i) the one or more hydrocarbonfeedstock parameters, (ii) a rate of supply of the hydrocarbon feedstockto the one or more first processing units, (iii) a pressure of thehydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or more first processingunits, (iv) a preheating temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstocksupplied to the one or more first processing units, (v) a reactortemperature in a reactor of the one or more first processing units, (vi)a reactor pressure associated with a reaction mixture in the reactor,the reaction mixture comprising the hydrocarbon feedstock and acatalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbonfeedstock, (vii) the one or more unit materials properties associatedwith the one or more unit materials produced by the one or more firstprocessing units, or (viii) one or more downstream properties associatedwith the one or more downstream materials produced by the one or moresecond processing units.
 32. The FCC control assembly of claim 22,wherein the feedstock parameter associated with the hydrocarbonfeedstock supplied to the one or more first processing units comprisesone or more of API gravity, UOP K factor, distillation pints, coker gasoil content, carbon residue content, nitrogen content, sulfur content,catalyst oil ratio, saturates content, thiophene content, single-ringaromatics content, dual-ring aromatics content, triple-ring aromaticscontent, or quad-ring aromatics content, wherein the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock sample properties and the one or more unitmaterial sample properties comprise a content ratio indicative ofrelative amounts of one or more hydrocarbon classes present in one ormore of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample,and wherein the one or more unit materials properties associated withthe one or more unit materials comprises one or more of an amount ofbutane free gasoline, an amount of total butane, an amount of dry gas,an amount of coke, an amount of gasoline, octane rating, an amount oflight fuel oil, an amount of heavy fuel oil, an amount of hydrogensulfide, an amount of sulfur in light fuel oil, or an aniline point oflight fuel oil.
 33. The FCC control assembly of claim 22, wherein one ormore of the first spectroscopic analyzer or the second spectroscopicanalyzer comprises one or more of one or more near-infrared (NIR)spectroscopic analyzers, one or more mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectroscopicanalyzers, one or more combined NIR and mid-IR spectroscopic analyzers,or one or more Raman spectroscopic analyzers.
 34. The FCC controlassembly of claim 22, wherein the prescriptively controlling comprisesoperating an analytical cracking model configured to improve an accuracyof one or more of: (i) predicting the one or more hydrocarbon feedstockparameters, (ii) predicting the one or more intermediates propertiesassociated with the intermediate materials produced by the one or morefirst processing units, (iii) controlling the one or more hydrocarbonfeedstock parameters of the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one ormore first processing units, (iv) controlling the one or more propertiesassociated with the intermediate materials produced by the one or morefirst processing units, (v) controlling one or more effluent propertiesassociated with the FCC effluent produced by the one or more firstprocessing units, (vi) the one or more target properties of the unitmaterials produced by one or more of the first processing units, or(vii) the one or more target properties of the downstream materialsproduced by one or more of the second processing units.
 35. The FCCcontrol assembly of claim 34, wherein the analytical cracking modelcomprises a machine-learning-trained model, and the FCC processcontroller is configured to: (a) provide, to the analytical crackingmodel, catalytic cracking processing data related to one or more of: (i)material data comprising one or more of: feedstock data indicative ofthe one or more hydrocarbon feedstock properties associated with thehydrocarbon feedstock, unit material data indicative of the one or moreunit material properties associated with the one or more unit materials,or downstream material data indicative of one or more downstreammaterial properties associated with one or more downstream materialsproduced by the one or more second processing units; or (ii) processingassembly data comprising one or more of: first processing unit dataindicative of one or more operating parameters associated with operationof the one or more first processing units, second processing unit dataindicative of one or more operating parameters associated with operationof the one or more second processing units, or conditioning assemblydata indicative of operation of a sample conditioning assemblyconfigured to one or more of control a sample temperature of a materialsample, remove particulates from the material sample, dilute thematerial sample in solvent, or degas the material sample; and (b)prescriptively controlling, based at least in part on the catalyticcracking processing data, one or more of: (i) the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock parameters associated with the hydrocarbonfeedstock, (ii) one or more first operating parameters associated withoperation of the one or more first processing units, (iii) the one ormore properties associated with the one or more unit materials, (iv) theone or more properties associated with the one or more unit materials,(v) one or more second operating parameters associated with operation ofthe one or more second processing units positioned downstream relativeto the one or more first processing units, (vi) one or more propertiesassociated with the one or more downstream materials produced by the oneor more second processing units, (vii) the one or more downstreammaterial properties associated with the one or more downstreammaterials, or (viii) one or more sample conditioning assembly operatingparameters associated with operation of the sample conditioningassembly.
 36. The FCC control assembly of claim 35, wherein the FCCprocess controller is further configured to update the analyticalcracking model based at least in part on the catalytic crackingprocessing data, and wherein the analytical cracking model comprises oneor more cracking algorithms configured to: (i) determine, based at leastin part on the catalytic cracking data, target material properties forone or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock, the unit materials, or thedownstream materials, (ii) prescriptively control operation of one ormore of the first processing units or the one or more second processingunits, thereby to produce one or more of unit materials having unitmaterial properties within a first predetermined range of target unitmaterial properties for the unit materials or one or more of downstreammaterials having downstream material properties within a secondpredetermined range of target material properties for the downstreammaterials, (iii) determine one or more of actual unit materialproperties for the unit materials produced by the one or more firstprocessing units or one or more of actual downstream material propertiesfor the downstream materials produced by the one or more secondprocessing units, (iv) determine one or more of unit materialdifferences between the actual unit material properties and the targetunit material properties or downstream material differences between theactual downstream material properties and the target downstream materialproperties, and (v) change, based at least in part on one or more of theunit material differences or the downstream material differences, theone or more cracking algorithms, thereby to reduce the one or more ofthe unit material differences or the downstream material differences.37. The FCC control assembly of claim 36, wherein the prescriptivelycontrolling comprises one or more of: (i) generating, based at least inpart on the target unit material properties, a first processing unitcontrol signal configured to control at least one first processingparameter associated with operation of the one or more first processingunits, thereby to produce one or more unit materials having unitmaterial properties within the first preselected range of the targetunit material properties, or (ii) generating, based at least in part onthe target downstream material properties, a second processing unitcontrol signal configured to control at least one second processingparameter associated with operation of the one or more second processingunits, thereby to produce one or more downstream materials havingdownstream material properties within the second preselected range ofthe target downstream material properties.
 38. The FCC control assemblyof claim 22, wherein one or more of: (i) predicting the one or morehydrocarbon feedstock sample properties comprises mathematicallymanipulating a feedstock spectra signal indicative of the hydrocarbonfeedstock sample spectra to provide a manipulated feedstock signal andcommunicating the manipulated feedstock signal an analytical propertymodel configured to predict, based at least in part on the manipulatedfeedstock signal, the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sampleproperties, or (ii) predicting the one or more unit material sampleproperties comprises mathematically manipulating a unit material spectrasignal indicative of the unit material sample spectra, thereby toprovide a manipulated unit material signal and communicating themanipulated unit material signal to an analytical property modelconfigured, so as to predict, based at least in part on the manipulatedunit material signal, the one or more unit material sample properties.39. The FCC control assembly of claim 38, wherein the prescriptivelycontrolling comprises generating, based at least in part on one or moreof the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties or the one ormore unit material sample properties, one or more processing unitcontrol signals configured, thereby to control on-line one or moreprocessing parameters related to operation of one or more of the onemore first processing units or one or more of the second processingunit, wherein the one or more unit sample properties comprises reactioneffluent yield, and the prescriptively controlling comprises controllingone or more of: (a) riser outlet temperature based at least in part onthe reaction effluent yield, or (b) riser lift velocity based at leastin part on the reaction effluent yield, and wherein the one or more unitmaterial sample properties comprises FCC product yield, and theprescriptively controlling comprises controlling riser lift steam ratebased at least in part on the FCC product yield.
 40. The FCC controlassembly of claim 22, wherein: the FCC processing unit comprises areactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst,thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock intothe FCC effluent, the hydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing areaction mixture, and the FCC control assembly comprises one or morespectroscopic analyzers configured to analyze reaction mixture samplestaken from one or more locations of the reactor to obtain unit materialsamples of one or more of catalyst stripper vapor, reactor dilute vapor,riser vapor, or reactor effluent, thereby to determine one or more ofrespective catalyst stripper vapor yield, reactor dilute vapor yield,riser vapor yield, or reactor effluent yield.
 41. A fluid catalyticcracking (FCC) processing assembly for performing an FCC processassociated with a refining operation, the FCC processing assemblycomprising: (i) one or more first FCC processing units associated withthe refining operation including one or more of an FCC reactor or an FCCregenerator; (ii) a first spectroscopic analyzer positioned to: receiveon-line during the FCC process a hydrocarbon feedstock sample of ahydrocarbon feedstock, the hydrocarbon feedstock having one or morehydrocarbon feedstock parameters and being supplied to the one or morefirst FCC processing units, and analyze during the FCC process thehydrocarbon feedstock sample, thereby to provide hydrocarbon feedstocksample spectra; (iii) a second spectroscopic analyzer positioned to:receive on-line during the FCC process a unit material sample of onemore unit materials produced by the one or more first FCC processingunits, the one or more unit materials comprising one or more ofintermediate materials or unit product materials comprising FCCeffluent, the first spectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopicanalyzer generating standardized spectral responses, and analyze duringthe FCC process the unit material sample to provide unit material samplespectra; and (iv) an FCC process controller in communication with thefirst spectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzerduring the FCC process, the FCC process controller configured to: (a)predict during the FCC process one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sampleproperties associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock sample based atleast in part on the hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra, (b) predictduring the FCC process one or more unit material sample propertiesassociated with the unit material sample based at least in part on theunit material sample spectra, and (c) prescriptively control, during theFCC process, based at least in part on the one or more hydrocarbonfeedstock parameters, the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sampleproperties, and the one or more unit material sample properties, one ormore of: (aa) the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parametersassociated with the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or morefirst FCC processing units, (bb) one or more intermediates propertiesassociated with the intermediate materials produced by one or more ofthe first FCC processing units, (cc) operation of the one or more firstFCC processing units, (dd) one or more unit materials propertiesassociated with the one or more unit materials, or (ee) operation of oneor more second processing units positioned downstream relative to theone or more first FCC processing units, so that the prescriptivelycontrolling during the FCC process causes the FCC process to produce oneor more of: (1) one or more intermediate materials each having one ormore properties within a selected range of one or more target propertiesof the one or more intermediate materials, (2) one or more unitmaterials each having one or more properties within a selected range ofone or more target properties of the one or more unit materials, or (3)one or more downstream materials each having one or more propertieswithin a selected range of one or more target properties of the one ormore downstream materials, thereby to cause the FCC process to achievematerial outputs that more accurately and responsively converge on oneor more of the target properties.
 42. The FCC processing assembly ofclaim 41, further comprising a sample conditioning assembly positionedto one or more of: (i) condition the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, priorto being supplied to the first spectroscopic analyzer, to one or more offilter the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, change a temperature of thehydrocarbon feedstock sample, or degas the hydrocarbon feedstock sample,or (ii) condition the unit material sample, prior to being supplied tothe second spectroscopic analyzer, to one or more of filter the unitmaterial sample, change a temperature of the unit material sample,dilute the unit material sample in solvent, or degas the unit materialsample, wherein the sample conditioning assembly comprises one or moreof: (a) one or more filters comprising filter media positioned to removeone or more of water, particulates, or other contaminants from one ormore of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample,(b) a temperature control unit positioned to receive the one or more ofthe hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample and atemperature of the one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample orthe unit material sample, thereby to provide a temperature-adjustedsample stream of the one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample orthe unit material sample, or (c) a degassing unit positioned to degasthe one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit materialsample, thereby to provide a degassed sample stream of the one or moreof the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample.